


Catch me, sweetheart

by punk_mikasa



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Action, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Badass!eren, Eren is an Agent, F/M, Fem!Eren, Female Eren Yeager, Flirting, Fluff, Jealousy, Mafia AU, Oral Sex, Pining Levi, Sexual Tension, Smut, because I somehow needed a strong female main character, because she's gonna kick your ass and fuck you up, don't think eren will be weak and petite, flirtatious Levi, later chapters are beta'd, mafia boss!Levi, short tempered eren, slightly Eren/Thomas, well that's basically the whole story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-02
Updated: 2016-06-18
Packaged: 2018-01-21 16:52:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 130,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1557419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punk_mikasa/pseuds/punk_mikasa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Special Agent Eren Yeager is an ambitious woman; and when she is charged with the mission of catching the legendary mafia boss Levi, she is sure of victory.<br/>Too bad that the feared criminal starts to take a liking on her and contrives his own plans - which includes teasing and flustering her as much as possible.<br/>Annoyed by his attempts at flirting Eren wants to annihilate Levi's organisation - but then a mysterious and brutal street gang shows up and causes even more problems ...</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I studied today and I thought...What could be better than wasting your time with writing a pointless fanfic now?  
> And here it is! This is my second fic, and I had so much fun writing it. Guess I found a new hobby, hehe.
> 
> Hope you enjoy ~!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren, a young Agent of the Scouting Legion, tries to catch and arrest the legendary Mafia-boss Levi.  
> When she meets him, she is prepared for the worst. But not for a charming handsome Levi that won't stop teasing and flirting with her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is now a german version of the first chapters: http://animexx.onlinewelten.com/fanfiction/autor/760230/333212/

Eren tried to catch her breath as she slowly stopped to examine her surroundings.

Standing in the middle of the garden part of an ostentatiously sized villa was not her definition of fun. The marble floor of the patio and the numerous lemon trees that were aligned in rows would have created a pleasant and comforting atmosphere at any other time, but to Eren's dismay there were splatters of thick blood tainting the expensive marble that made her skin crawl and resolve harden. The once pure and clear air turned muggy and heavy with screams and the repetitive sound of numerous guns going off. Despite the horror unraveling around her, Eren couldn't find it in herself to invest in helping the others.

Her primary task was to find Levi, the legendary leader of the local mafia „Wings of Freedom“, and to arrest his criminal, sorry ass and throw him behind bars where he belonged. Eren was a 25 year old agent of the Scouting Legion Police Department. Looking past her strikingly young age and innocent appearance, she had managed to work hard to become the youngest squad leader in her organization. It might have taken long, tedious hours working at a desk, rigorous combat and weapon training, as well as a plethora of horrid entrance exams but she made it.

Needless to say, she was damn proud of that achievement. 

Eren had a track record fit for the gods. She had caught several big dogs that threatened the safety of her island's inhabitants and reputation of the Scouting Legion with passionate and determined vigor. However, catching one of the most dangerous and mysterious mafia leaders in the history of her island would be a challenging task. 

Whatever. Her name would not have been Eren Yeager if she wouldn't be able to win this fight. 

She brushed a wisp of untamable brown hair out of her face and tightened the grip on her hand gun. Her fellow officers did a sharp, efficient job keeping the criminals in the building under their surveillance. Their hard work gave Eren the time to sneak around in the villa and search for the notorious Levi himself. 

 _The rest of the land is surrounded by the other police squads so it would be almost impossible for him to escape._ Eren thought with a small, victorious smile. _I've caught you, Levi._

It was all going smoothly and according to Eren's plan. Damn if she didn't feel prideful at that moment.

She had already searched the entire ground floor and was disappointed, but not disheartened, to discover nothing except luxurious items and furniture. She decided it would be best to explore the rooms upstairs now. Slowly, she stealthily crept up to the first floor, relieved that the green carpet on the stairs swallowed all of her sounds. Sneaking around was not one of her strenghtes as she had the tendency to be noisy and stomp around.

The first room Eren entered was what she assumed to be a professional office. A dark wooden table and a red leather high chair were situated in the center of the room. In the corner there was a plush sofa next to a sturdy bookshelf. The feeling of disappointment struck her because there wasn’t a single soul inside the office. Eren was halfway to the door when she noticed something odd.

The room seemed much smaller than it should have been according to the gap between the office and the next room over.

She walked over to the bookcase and struggled to push the monstrosity to the side. Her unrivaled determination and her above average strength pushed away the bookcase in a matter of seconds. Eren lifted her weight against an off-angled shelf and to her shock and joy, the wall parted to reveal an entrance to a secret chamber.

The secret room was barely furnished. Some pictures were leaning against the pastel yellow wall and papers were lying around as if they had been carelessly strewn on purpose. In the corner Eren saw the looming shadow of a short man with his back to her.

Finally. There he was. 

Eren was the first one of the Scouting Legion ever who managed to meet Levi in person and damn it all, she would catch him right here and right now.

"Hands up, Levi, you are under arrest!" Eren shouted with a hard glare and gun pointed at her target.

The man turned around, eerily calm and far too relaxed. It was as if the fact that a gun was pointed at him didn't faze him in the least. He was dressed in a crisp black suit which emphasized his pale skin. He had jet black hair and an undercut that suited him well. Although he was kind of short, Levi appeared to have an incredible physique under his clothes.

Eren had heard that he exercised and practiced martial arts daily. She took it upon herself to not venture too close to him. Even if she held the position of being the best when it came to hand-to-hand-combat, she wouldn't make the rookie mistake of underestimating her enemy.

"Oh, so they are sending little girls now to catch me? I'm hurt. Incredibly so." He mused with a stoic expression on his austere face. "Thinking that I would lose against some inexperienced brat… What bullshit."

His eyes were cold and colored a darkened grey. Just the way he looked down on Eren got on her nerves, she hated arrogant people and Levi was the very enigma of arrogance from what she observed.

 _Stay calm._ She instructed to herself. _He just wants to provoke you. Don't give him what he wants._

"Well, it seems like this inexperienced brat managed to chase you to this point. What does this say about you, Levi?" she shot back with a cold glare.

Eren didn't ponder over his apathetic face; she had been prepared for that. The worst rumors about his cold merciless character had been passed to her by a little birdie but she didn't let herself get intimidated by unverified gossip. As she faced him, Eren remembered her goal to show Levi that he wouldn't get away with all the crimes he had committed because she would be the one to defeat him- once and for all.

Levi narrowed his eyes and begun to sway closer. Eren berated herself internally for feeling nervous as the mafia boss inched closer and closer; she was trained to stay concentrated and levelheaded in threatening situations. But the way he swinged his hips in an almost tantalizing way was kind of distracting.

Eren gulped and put her finger on the trigger.

"Stop or I will shoot." She said as calm as she could manage.

Levi smirked as he drew closer. "Sorry to disappoint you, sweetheart. I'm not going to play along with your awfully cute demands."

Eren gritted her teeth and stared long and hard at the mafia boss, trying to keep her cool and channel her anger through furious eye contact. Her mistake was losing herself in his eyes. The orbs were captivating, commanding, icy, and Eren couldn't avert her eyes, even as he sauntered closer and closer and -

Suddenly, in a blink of an eye, Levi moved forward to grab her wrist. His fast movements surprised her, as she had foolishly let herself get distracted to the point where she had let him get close to her. Eren got pissed at herself and at the mafia boss.

So she fought back.

With a counterattack, Eren twisted her wrist out and moved to elbow the mafia boss in his stomach. Rapidly, Levi jumped back and Eren quickly drew back her arm. Hoisting up her gun, Eren barely got to open her mouth before Levi swooped in and disarmed her with a single maneuver.

 _'Looks like gossip can be true.'_ Eren thought placidly as her gun went skittering on the floor.

Levi knelt down and swept her right leg away with a strong kick, pushing her down as she fell. Before her back reached the floor, Eren quickly gathered her wits and wrapped her arms around Levi's waist in an iron hold. She dragged him down with her, somehow managing to overpower him, and pinned him to the tiled floor.

Eren looked at her gun that laid a distance a ways. She decided against lunging for the weapon and pulled out the unsheathed dagger she hid underneath her shirt instead.

"Yeager. It's Special Agent Yeager." She growled as she took out the deadly weapon and pushed the dangerously sharp edge against Levi's throat.

His eyes widened in surprise. "The fuck?" he exclaimed with a hoarse voice.

"Don't make me repeat myself and I'm nobody's fucking sweetheart, you pig. Keep that in mind." She hated been called with those ridiculous pet names. She was a grown successful woman, not some cute little birdbrain. Fuck it all if she would tolerate some arrogant, short as shit criminal’s disrespectful taunts.

Levi began to smirk. „Okay, Miss Yeager, I'll remember next time.“

Before Eren could snap back, Levi twisted her arm with an unmerciful grip; consequently, Eren dropped her dagger and bit back a scream. She gasped as he took a swing at her and threw her body to the side. The fist blasted past her and Eren felt the air whoosh in its wake.

The mafia boss was strong. 

Levi barrel rolled over to where Eren was and pressed his heavy body against hers. His eyes darkened and a small leering smile graced his lips. She suppressed a shiver and sent him a livid glare.

„Well, as much as I enjoy our current position,“ his breath carressed her ear, „I'm afraid I can't stay any longer.“

Abruptly, he stood up, getting off of Eren, and glided over to the window where he then gracefully hopped up on the window sill. Levi turned around to look over at the special agent one last time.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, sweetheart." he purred before jumping from the window and into the vast reaches of the darkness of night.

Eren stared at the empty window before getting up to retrieve her weapons, furious and flustered could even begin to touch how she was feeling.

"Fuck." She muttered. "I lost."

 

\---

 

The next few weeks Eren worked hard to keep up the good reputation of the Scouting Legion. The media pounced at Levi's escape and the Police Department's failure to contain him like a pack of wild hyenas scouring for prey. The representative of the Scouting Legion had to explain the department's major mishap but also point out that the mission was a success at the end of the day. Eren's squad and the others had arrested a great deal of high-ranking criminals and were able to corner a mafia leader. Facts such as those were made sure to be reinstated at every press conference seeing that image is everything, as is reputation.

Eren, while watching the press conference on her home television, was positive that one day she would catch Levi and restore justice and stability to her precious island. 

 _'First things first, I need to train and build some muscle.'_ Eren thought, a determined gleam sparkling in her eyes.

To say that she was not satisfied with her own performance would be an understatement. The Special Operative could have acted faster if she had more experience and training. Levi had the rare ability to make Eren nervous and it was an ability that made Eren's hatred of the mafia boss multiply.

The expanding piles of papers, cases and files all took their toll. With a resigned sigh, Eren had been forced to hire an assistant to help ease her work load. She didn't like the thought of a new team member because she had enough trouble with her present squad which consisted of her old comrades Sasha, Connie, Reiner and Jean. Eren had become friends with all of them before she took that job as the squad leader: They met at the Police Academy an instantly swarmed to each other. One of them, Jean, made Eren question her sanity because why in the ever loving fuck was she friends with him? It didn't help that Jean had a huge problem with the fact that Eren was his superior now, and he didn't let any opportunity slip to tell her that.  And her temper was too damn short to ignore his attempts to annoy her, so usually they ended up fighting about some stupid shit.

But Eren was glad that the staff department had sent her Mikasa Ackerman as a new assistant. Mikasa was an intelligent and disciplined woman with straight black hair. At first, she had been reserved but soon she had opened herself more as she had noticed that Eren had a bright personality and was a friendly boss which respected her fellows. They only knew for 5 weeks now, and it already felt more like they were old friends than boss and subordinate.

Eren sighed loudly as she entered the newly installed elevator. It had been an exhausting day the day before as she was called on an annoying, gossip hungry news station where she should explain the newest developments of the case. Well, at least these news that were meant for the public. Eren hated wasting her time with this superficial things. She loathed smiling and acting sweet and charming all while answering dumb questions for even dumber people. But her boss Erwin wanted her to represent the Scouting Legion Department for the civilian population. "What would be better than a young, educated, and strong woman for representing the department? Young people will finally identify with the goals of our organization and we might gain support.“ Erwin used to say whenever Eren was complaining about the annoying new part of her job.

"Eren!" an excited voice tore her out of her thoughts. "You were wonderful last night with your badass speech! The way you silenced that ignorant asshole of a host was amazing!"

A woman with a messy brown ponytail ran towards Eren with a burst of youthful energy when the latter stepped out of the elevator.

"Thanks, Hange." Eren flashed the crazy forensic scientist a tired smile.

"What was so amazing about that? She just did her job." 

Eren groaned and re-situated the stacks of papers cradled in her arm. "Horseface, it's too fucking early for you to neigh off like an asshole."

Jean bristled. "You're a little snot, Yeager."

Hange laughed. "Ah, Jean… Are you still jealous that you didn't get the job?"

Jean replied with a snort.

Hange shrugged and grinned at Eren. "Eren, seriously, your speech about never giving up was great. And when he said we would never have a chance to stop the criminal activity and you just said _'Well, if you don't fight, you can't win'_ \--bah that gave me goosebumps!" Hange ruffled Eren's mousy, shoulder-length brown hair, effectively ruining the hours spent dedicated to primping it up. Eren should have known that Hange would eventually destroy her hard work; there was also the fact that her hair would never acquire the smooth and sleek look. It would always have the wavy and puffy fashion.

"Uargh, thanks, but could you stop it now?" Eren huffed as her, Hange, and Jean walked over to the main department floor where their assigned cubicles and personal offices lied.

Hange snickered and followed the other pair into the bureau's office center. The smell of fresh coffee filled the air and Eren sighed. Finally, she was able to concentrate on the case again, not thinking about impressing and dealing with reporters and useless shit along the lines of such. As she reached her desk, Mikasa was already standing there, a big expensive-looking camera in her hands.

„Good morning, Eren.“ she said with her gentle smooth voice.

The brunet replied with a smile. "Morning, Mikasa. You're here early." she noted.

She put her papers down when she noticed a myriad of colored, exotic flowers resting delicately upon her chestnut desk. The bouquet shone under the bright electric bulbs and Eren was captivated by the contrasting colors.

"...What are those?" Eren asked, puzzled.

Mikasa shrugged lightly and began to organize the papers Eren had just set down. "A delivery boy just came and brought it." she said truthfully.

The brunet stepped closer and sniffed at the suspicious bouquet. She didn't understand or care much about the sentimentality of flowers but the plants smelled nice and looked good so Eren didn't mind. 

That left one question: who would send her these?

Hange grabbed her shoulders with strong, bony hands and grasped Eren tight, making the latter cringe.

"Maybe somebody wanted to congratulate you for your good work yesterday." The forensic scientist grinned. "Or maybe you have an admirer, Eren."

Eren rolled her eyes and saw Jean make his way over to her vicinity out of the corner of her eye.

“Whatever." she replied childishly.

“Come on, Eren! Look at the card! I really want to know who sent you these magnificent specimen.” Hange bounced in excitement.

Eren ran a hand over her face before breaking in and grabbing the card. With a scowl, she thrust the card at Hange for a moment while she took of her leather jacket. Quickly, before the scientist could pry open her personal letter with her grubby hands, Eren grabbed the envelope and ripped it open. She was mindful of the card but as soon as the special agent read the first line, her gaze darkened and the trash can had never looked so appealing.

 

_Congrats on your appearance yesterday, sweetheart. The way you shot down that ignorant piece of shit’s word vomit was highly notable. I admire your determination to catch me. The whole press conference had me laughing out loud._

_However, I'll have to disappoint you because you will never catch me again. But if you wanted to see me that bad, you could have just asked. I'm sure we could arrange another way to meet again, Miss Yeager._

_Take care!_

_L._

 

After a few beats of silence and Eren’s silent fuming, Jean walked up to the enraged woman precariously.

“So…You gonna tell us who it was, Yeager?” he asked curiously.

„This bastard!“ Eren hissed and slammed her fist on the desk. „This _fucking_ bastard is making fun of me!“

She gritted her teeth and fought the urge to flip the table out of the window. „Just wait, you motherfucking piece of trash!“

As Eren raged about her office, Mikasa turned on her camera quickly and angled it towards Eren with a small smile. Swiftly, when Eren was too focused on scowling in rage and shouting obscenities at a piece of paper, Mikasa took a photo. Abruptly and with a speed that made Mikasa almost jump, Eren turned around and eyed her personal secretary dubiously.

“Did you just take a picture of me?” she asked a bit miffed at the prospect.

Mikasa dropped the camera and shrugged. „This is the new equipment camera, i needed to check if it works. And besides, I like your angry face. It's kind of entertaining.“

Eren shook her head at her secretary’s explanation and let the subject drop when Jean slid over to her and gracefully snatched the card from the floor. With a deep breath, Eren willed herself to keep her cool.

„Oi, Eren, why does he call you a sweetheart?“ Jean looked up in confusement. „You are not sweet. You are an angry scratching cat.“

Taking another set of deap breaths, Eren counted to 10 in her head to keep herself calm.

„Wow, thanks, horseface.“

"Seriously, why does he call you that?" Jean smirked. “What, you seduce the poor shithead of something? Eren, I would have never thought that you would be capable of landing your forever alone ass a creepy boyfriend.”

Eren frowned. “I don’t fucking know, Jean. Cut it with the shit or else I’ll make sure your ass will be locked up in the stables—no food, no water—until I see fit.”

“Touchy touchy—“

“It infuriates me to no end. I am not his goddamn sweetheart. The only reason he calls me that is because he’s an arrogant bastard who belongs in jail, and I’m going to be the one to throw his ass in a dank cell…Whether he likes it or not.”

 

\---

 

The next days went by in a blur. In the daytime Eren would rush from one appointment to another. In the evenings she would use her time to study the case files in order to find a plausible and working way that would allow her to corner Levi once more.

“Eren, you're pushing yourself too hard." Mikasa chided one day when she caught Eren resting her eyes on her office couch in secret.

“No, it's okay," Eren yawned loudly and stretched her neck and back with a grimace. „Otherwise I will not catch that criminal bastard.“

Mikasa looked at her with an unreadable expression. „There is no point in overworking yourself. If you are too tired from the lack of sleep, you will make mistakes. And mistakes can lead to dangerous situations.“

Eren looked across the room in contemplation and sighed. „Maybe you are right. Maybe I should rest a bit more.“

Mikasa smiled. “Hey, how about I invite you to a drink this evening? We could just talk and relax."

Eren replied with a wide smile. „There is no other way you would stop scolding me, is there?“

 

At seven, the two women’s shifts had officially ended and they both could finally check out of work for the evening. They had worked hard throughout the day and Eren had to admit that she really needed some sort of distraction from Levi’s case. A few drinks with Mikasa would be the perfect opportunity to relax.

The two women just sat down in Eren's car to drive to a nice pub in town, when her phone started ringing. Whipping it out, Eren saw that it was an unknown known number and answered it in her on the job tone.

“This is Eren Yeager, how may I help you?” she answered professionally.

A familiar, burly voice greeted her back. “Hey Eren, it's Reiner. I think I've found something interesting regarding to the Levi-case. I know you have already finished work for today, but could you come over to take a quick look at it? I feel that there is some detrimental evidence that could be used in the testimony against Levi here.” he persuaded.

With a disappointed sigh, Eren looked at her watch. “Well, okay, if it's only a few minutes however. Should I ask for reinforcement?"

“No, that won't be necessary. I'm not even sure if it is important. It’s really just my own opinion that I’m throwing out to you. Just come and take a look." Reiner said, a pleading undertone going unheard by Eren.

The man gave her his coordinates and she typed it in her satnav.

„I'm sorry Mikasa, our drink has to wait for a few minutes.“ Eren smiled apologetic at the ravenhaired woman. „I'll throw you out at the pub and join later, if you want.“

Mikasa just shrugged. “If Eren is going, then I am going too.” she declared with a tone of finality that Eren had no qualms about. In fact, her respect for the Japanese woman grew.

The GPS led the two women to an old dilapidated factory. The rusty metallic outside walls were covered in invasive vines and the cement that covered the area around the factory was so cracked it appeared that there had been a mini earthquake in the area. Eren wondered what the hell Reiner could have found at such a place. She had worn her casual work clothes that day; a white loose shirt, denim jeans, and black boots. Before Eren got out of her car, she made sure to tuck her handgun into the waistband of her jeans. Eren always felt safer having her handy dandy gun on her person. One never knows what could happen.

Mikasa fumbled around with her mobile phone, lifting the phone up aimlessly and stepping out of the car with her cellular device held high. Eren slid out of her car and watched her personal secretary curse at her non-living piece of machinery.

“Damnit, I have no reception here.” Mikasa groused peevishly. “Eren, is it okay if I leave you alone for a few minutes? I have to make an important call."

„Sure. I'm a grown woman, I can take care of myself, Mikasa.“ Eren chuckled, deep down a bit irked at Mikasa’s growing paternal attitude and actions directed towards her.

Eren walked north towards the old building, while Mikasa wandered towards the east end of the factory all for the sole sake of mobile reception. Coming up to chained, rusted doors, Eren examined her surroundings and found an ajar side door that Reiner had most likely kicked open. Sidestepping a few strewn nails and wooden boards, Eren entered the entrance and found herself in a deserted hallway that looked like a front waiting room from the fifties. A few more minutes were spent shuffling through open doors and searching for Reiner, but Eren didn't find a single soul. Eren furrowed her brows after a good 10 minutes had past. Where the hell was Reiner? Eren looked around nervously and a feeling of dread passed over her, a premonition of bad things to come.

She hesitantly called out Reiner’s name, the pit of dread amplifying in her stomach when all her call accomplished was echoing loudly off the walls. When nobody answered, Eren reached for her gun, the tense atmosphere was making her on edge.

There was a five second gap from when she reached for her gun to when she held it in her hand and her attacker had obviously been watching her for some time because as Eren twisted her arm back to grab her gun, it was captured in a tight grip. She swiveled around only to be struck with something heavy, something that succeeded in knocking her out clean.

Eren’s world turned black.

 

\---

 

The loud voices ringing in her ears and throughout the room just intensified her throbbing headache.

Why were those people so noisy? Couldn't they just let her sleep a little bit longer?

Eren slowly opened her eyes and tried to get acclimatized to the bright florescent light that shone its holy wrath upon her. She tried bringing her hands up to wipe eyes but found to her upmost horror that they were bound with what felt like a formidably sized rope. She was lying on a cold, hard floor.

Erentried to turn her head, just to groan at the pain this movement caused.

„Great, now you woke her up!“ a deep voice hissed.

„Not my fault, I said we should kill her immediatly!“ countered a second voice.

Finally Eren was able to take a proper look at her surrounding. A tall man with dark hair stared down at her with a cold glint in his eyes. Next to him there was a big blond guy, who was terrifying familiar to Eren.

„Reiner!“ she gasped surprised.

What was going on here? Why was she lying bonded on the dirty floor, why was Reiner not helping her?

„Eren,“ the blond said. „I'm... I'm sorry.“

„What does that mean, you're sorry?!“ Eren started to get angry. „Why don't you untie me? What's that supposed to mean?“

“Shut up, Yeager,” the tall man ordered. “You should be thankful you're still alive. Do as we say and you might survive the next few hours." he informed briskly.

Eren widened her eyes at his words, trying to gather her thoughts and suppress her initial reaction to lash out in a violent rage. She glanced over the tall man's physique to see if there was shot at kicking his ass and came across a truly disturbing piece of cloth. It was a red band on his left arm that had the symbol that stood for the infamous, brutal gang that Eren just knew too well.

She looked over Reiner and found the same.

“You're.... you're a member of the Titans?" she asked with a hoarse voice.

While the Titans were widely known, they were also quite small, having only onehundred or so true loyal members. However, the group was extremely violent and known for its unorthodox and unmerciful methods at achieving what they perceived as justice. The gang originated from the southern district of her city. They used to be powerful but now that the Wings of Freedom, the new crime gang and thousands of times more influential and powerful than the Titans ever were, were leading the underground scene, the Titans had lost a lot of impact and prestige.

„Well spotted.“ the tall man scoffed. „We captured you to force the Scouting Legion to give back our...“

„Stop it, Berthold, she don't need to know!“ Reiner called.

„Shut up, and don't call me by my real name!“ Berthold hissed back.

Eren started to loose patience. „Reiner, what the fuck!“ she shouted as she tried to sit up. „You betrayed me! You betrayed the whole agency!“

Reiner cringed. “Well, about that, I-”

The blond man was interrupted when the halfway eroded door was flung from its hinges towards the right corner of the room. Eren looked bewildered at the door’s entryway but even more so at the muscular and deadly looking woman illuminated by the yellow light standing in it.

“Mikasa? The shit is going on?” she growled, enraged at the sight before her.

Mikasa firmly pointed two guns at Reiner and Berthold as she burst into the room. Her mouth was set in a firm line and eyes narrowed dangerously as she observed Eren tied on the dirty old floor.

“Okay, blondie. Get to untying Eren immediately, no questions asked. Any wrong moves and I'll plant a bullet in your brain." she commanded gruffly.

“Not while I’m here.” Another female voice emerged behind Mikasa.

A blond woman with pained blue eyes and a bored expression was standing behind the raven-haired woman, roughly pushing a gun into her back with no remorse.

„Annie...you....“ Mikasa spat as she slowly turned around, raising her hands up in the air and frowning deeply when the clatter of her guns on the ground reverberated throughout the small room.

A small smile tugged on Annie’s lips before the blonde willed it down. „Nice to see you again, Mikasa. Let's be a good girl and sit down next to Eren.“

Bertholdt picked Mikasa’s guns from the dirt covered floor and Annie harshly pushed Mikasa onto the floor a strong hand to her shoulder. Reiner watched the scene play out from his position on the sidelines before he trudged up to Mikasa and tied her own wrists behind her back, just like Eren’s, and avoided Eren’s eyes the whole time.  When he was done tying up an angry Mikasa, his taller companion stalked over and drug his comrade out into the hall with a large hand gripping his arm the entire way.

Eren assumed the two had traversed down the hall so that they could have more privacy because no noise came from outside for a long time. That left just her, Mikasa, and Annie in the room. Annie was eyeing the two with such an intense, probing stare that the Special Agent had to turn to her personal secretary and begin a conversation.

“Mikasa…” Eren said quietly. “You’re not an ordinary secretary, are you?"

Her not-really-a-personal-secretary looked at her with sad eyes. “No, I'm not."

„But … what are you then?“ Eren asked irritabled. Somebody should explain what was going on here. _Now._

“Oh, you naive sweet thing, Mikasa didn't tell you that she’s Levi's right hand man? You know the leader of the Wings of Freedom?" Annie drawled out cruelly.

“Oops...did I tell a secret?" she smirked as she received a livid glare from Mikasa.

Eren automatically shut Annie’s words out. She didn’t want to hear anymore about the people closest to her being distrustful and enemies. The mere fact that Mikasa hadn’t done anything to defend herself from such accusations made Eren’s heart drop. She had been lied to. She had been fooled by people who were supposed to be her friends.

It hurt.

“Mikasa....is that true?"Eren already knew the answer, and it didn’t help with the tremulous emotions swirling through her.

„Eren, you don't understand.“ Mikasa said, her voice sad and deep and desperate.

„Yes, you're fucking right, I don't understand!“ Eren shouted. „Enlighten me, why the hell is everybody here a freaking fraud suddenly?“

„It's not like that. I'm not a spy... well, not completly, i assume.“ Mikasa answered. „First Levi sent me to the Scouting Legion to gather information about your investigations.“ Eren bared her teeth but Mikasa kept on talking. “However, we heard that the Titans were planning to kidnap you, and so I was transferred to your squad to keep an eye on you. I had the responsibility of protecting you. I guess I've failed, Eren. I am truly sorry.”

Eren was baffled. This story made no sense to her.

Like, no sense at all.

“E-Excuse me?”

Mikasa looked into Eren's eyes. „I am sorry, I didn't meant to betray you. I started to like you, really! It feels like you are my little sister.“

Eren opened her mouth, just to shut it again because she didn't know what to say. A part of her was relieved that Mikasa was not the horrid piece of human waste that she had thought for a few moments. But another was entirely speechless at the fact that Levi had sent someone to _protect_ her.

What an asshole.

Eren shut her mouth closed when she realized she was gaping at Mikasa and probably looking like an idiot. From the outside, the special agent registered voices of struggle and fighting. Immediately, Eren sat up straighter and blew a stray hair out of her face. The Titans were being attacked, and Eren prayed that somehow her comrades had found out and came to help her.

“Fuck!" Annie muttered and walked to the door. She opened it and crouched down so that she would be able to sneak out when she was hit with a gun on her head. The woman fell to the floor and an average man with light brown undercut climbed over her uncaringly.

He turned his head towards the door and shouted.„Hey, boss! I found them.“ 

The intruder strutted over to Mikasa and whipped out a pocket knife with a perturbing ease as Public Enemy One gracefully slid into the room.

“Good job, Oluo. Mikasa, Miss Yeager, are you two okay?"

Eren's eyes widened and to her horror as she stared at Levi. He stood there like it would be the most normal thing in the world to be in an abandoned warehouse rescuing his subordinate and a special agent. He looked handsome like the last time, except he wasn’t wear a suit, but tight black jeans and a black shirt.

Mikasa nodded as she stood up. “We're okay. You arrived at just the right time."

Levi gave a curt nod before looking Eren’s way and giving her a small smirk for a few seconds. He then turned his attention to Annie’s unconscious body. He nudged her roughly and scrunched up his nose when he spotted a speck of blood littering his boots.

“That's fucking gross." he said as he pulled out a Kleenex from his back pocket and faced Mikasa. "After you called I gather up my squad and we headed out, pronto.“

Eren still looked with wide eyes from Mikasa to Levi and back. She coughed to get the look-alikes attention.

“Uh, Mikasa...care to explain the situation to me?" Eren inquired, her thoughts jumbled and suspicion levels rising.

The undercover gang member shrugged as she answered. “Well, I knew something was going on when we arrived here. This abandoned dump used to be the Titans secret hideout; not even the Scouting Legion found it. I informed Oluo where we were but when I came back and you had seemingly disappeared so, naturally, I called my boss at one. I called _Levi_ at once.“ She looked down on her feet, avoiding Eren's gaze while she cutted of the brunet's bonds. „I'm sorry that I couldn't protect you in the first place.“

„Yeah, well, that was not exactly what I meant...“ Eren said as she stood up, but she was interrupted when yet another figure had burst through the opening.

Eren was so done.

„Levi, we saw two other cars arriving in front of the factory.“ the amber-haired woman came straight to the point. „We don't know how much they are, but you should get away from here ASAP. I’ll bet a thousand dollars that they are out for your head.“ The woman gave Eren a pointed look. „And she should disappear, too. It will get to dangerous here for her.“

Eren hated being the only one who didn't know what was going on.

„Excuse me hazelnut, but I'm a Special Agent, I think I know how to take care of myself...“ she stated.

Levi smirked despite himself. “I'm certain of that, sweetheart. But for now, you're coming with me." he declared with an air of finality and before Eren could protest, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her with him towards the south side of the building.

Levi and Eren broke out into a sprint. The notion of having revenge driven killers on their heels was spurring them on to get to the checkpoint on time and with everything intact. Levi still embraced her wrist with a tight grip, and Eren just tried to keep up with his speed for now. Her head was still aching and her feet felt a bit numb from the bonds, so now it would make no sense to start a fight against him. They turned around the corner and ran through a long hallway with many doors, when they heard a pair of low murmurs.

“He has to be here, didn't you here the footsteps?" an anonymous voice whispered from around the next corner.

“Shit." Levi cursed, breathless.

He opened the first door he saw and pushed Eren inside. He quickly followed and closed the door almost soundless.

The room seemed to be a former dustroom, small and very dark. There was hardly enough space for both of them, so Eren's back was pressed against the wall, Levi leaning above her.

„What...“ she wanted to speak up, but the man silented her with his hand.

„Shush!“ he whispered and sent her a warning glare.

Her eyes had adjusted to the point where she could make out Levi’s figure and the light seeping in from below the door had certainly helped. Maybe it was because she had suffered a concussion from when she was hit over the head, maybe it was because of the intolerable strain on her eyes, but Eren started to feel dizzy. Especially when she breathed into Levi’s hand and sound pick up traces of an aloe hand lotion. She tried to focus on the voices in the hallway to distract herself from the close proximity but failed completly. Levi's eyes still layed on her face, watching her with blown pupils.

Eren shivered.

The duo held their breath as the noises passed the closet and continued down the hall. It seemed like they were talking to another team by ear gear and Eren kept that observation, that the new enemy was split up into teams, in the back of her mind just in case. As the noises slowly faded away, Levi let out a deep sigh.

“That was close." he stated with his low voice, still not taking away his gaze from her.

Eren gulped, she didn't know what to do or to say next. How did she even get in this situation? Wasn't she supposed to sit down in a pub, drinking and chatting with Mikasa? Damn this stupid Levi with his stupid silky hair and his stupid smooth voice. She felt her face becoming hot and hoped that the mafia boss wouldn't notice the healthy pink flush on her cheeks.

Levi's lips turned into a smug smile as he moved away his hand from her mouth. Wordlessly, he reached over and softly began to twirl a lock of her hair.

“Hm, I could get used to these kinds of situations, you know..." he whispered playfully and began to brush his thump over her lips in a daring act of courage.

Eren sent him and his finger an incredulous glare before opening her mouth and allowing the gang leader to stick the digit in. Levi barely had a time to comment when she angrily bit down on his finger, tasting a coppery, warm liquid seep on her taste buds. “Keep your hands to yourself, Mister.” she growled.

Levi might have been grinning, but when he speedily pulled his finger away, the wince and clenching of his jaw was quite noticeable.

“I'm sorry Special Agent. I got carried away."

“Damn right you got carried away.” she huffed before eyeing the door and realizing an important fact that she had over looked. “What about getting out of here as long as it's still quiet outside.” Eren remembered him with gritted teeth and pushed him away.

The man merely chuckled and opened the door slowly, to see if the coast was clear.

“Alright,” Levi whispered. “We can go."

They ran as silent as possible along the hallway. Levi and Eren had to maneuver around kicked down doors and heavy load of debris until a ray of natural moonlight shone across what Eren recognized as the front lobby of the abandoned factory. Finally, they sprinted outside, both Levi and Eren relished in the cool night air and took a few seconds to catch their breath.

After she began to cool down, Eren shivered from the cold breeze that smacked against her face, even with Levi standing right in front of her, and looked around, assessing her position and surroundings. In the distance she could make out the telltale flashing lights of police cars.

“Okay," Levi had followed her gaze."Guess it's time for me to say goodbye now. I don't think that your friends would give me a warming welcome."

Instead of letting her go though, he turned around to Eren and pulled her in closer, effectively trapping her against his chest and encircling her waist with his strong arms.

„Well, it was fun like always.“ he whispered with a low voice.

Before she could reply he quickly pressed his lips on her mouth. It was a chaste kiss, quick and sweet, but it made Eren blush once again.

„See you soon, sweetheart.“ Levi called as he slunk back into the night, disappearing behind an additional warehouse that Eren had seemingly glanced over, not realizing that there as another unit to the factory. After a few moments past, Eren could see the powerful beam of a car’s headlights shine behind the warehouse and she knew that the crime lord had taken his leave. Why she had let him when she could have detained him, Eren didn’t know nor did she want to think about it.

Eren stared after the headlights and jumped when she heard the loud blaring of a horn.

She bit her bottom lip. “Oh, fuck you, you bastard."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, maybe this story brings up more questions then it answers...but aren't we used to this from SNK?
> 
> A big thanks to theomniscientsociety for helping me rewriting this chapter!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Jean are going on an undercover-mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos, comments and stuff! Because there were some requests to continue this story, I decided to give it a try and write another chapter.  
> Hope I didn't fuck it up. ^^
> 
> Also, I apologize for any grammar mistakes. I have no Beta at the moment, and my english is terrible sometimes.

After the incident in the factory Erwin had insisted Eren to take some days off. She was not very happy about this, but she had to admit she would need a break to handle all the strange things that had happened. Everytime she stood up or moved too quickly, her head would hurt like hell. So maybe a few days rest would really be the best for her.

Neither the police nor the agency were able to catch the people that were involved in the kidnapping, except for the woman named Annie. When the reinforcement of the Scouting Legion had arrived at the factory, the woman had still layed on the ground, unconsciously. She had lost a huge amount of blood and was near to death. Now she was in hospital, kept comatose, and the doctors could not say if and when Annie would awaken to answer the agent's questions. Eren was frustrated to hear that she could not talk to the woman, and even more that she would not be able to interrogate Reiner or Mikasa. But she had sworn herself that one day she would find them.

Eren waited a week and really tried her best to grant her body rest. But after two hours wandering through her apartment like a caged animal, she decided that this was enough holiday for now, she needed to go to work again. Sitting at home and doing nothing would drive her crazy. The next morning Eren went to the office again, full of energy and ready to kick some asses. But the serious talk she had with Erwin about the next steps left her totally flabbergasted. He had informed her that she would not be able to arrest Levi in the next time, because somehow most of the evidences they had gathered against Levi and the Wings of Freedom had disappeared, in an almost magically way. The public prosecutor could not issue an arrest warrent anymore, they had literally nothing against him in their hands. Somebody must have stolen the evidences, there was no other explanation.

Eren cursed and swore, raged around the office, but Erwin just sat there and gave her a weak smile. „See, Eren, I know it's a step backwards...“

„A step backwards?!“ she interrupted him. „We have been so close, so fucking close, and know this arrogant bastard walks around in public like nothing had ever happened! The Wings of freedom will continue to commit crimes, and now this pig Levi feels save and laughs his ass off!“ Realising that she still was speaking to her superior, she sat down and sighed. "Sorry for my language Erwin, but it really pisses me off."

"Yeah, I already noticed", he said with a serious expression, but he couldn't hide the amusement in his eyes. Eren's determination was one of the many reasons that convinced him to give her the task to catch Levi. "Don't worry, we'll find another way. I already have an idea what to do."

 

\---

 

The next day Eren went to a cozy little cafe to meet her best friend Armin for lunch. He worked as a forensic psychologist for the Scouting Legion, needless to say that he was extremely clever. With his blond hair tied up in a cute little ponytail he looked quite innocent, but Eren knew Armin could be an evil genius when required.

Although they worked at the same place, they rarely had time to see each other during work time. But today was Eren's birthday, and they both had made the time to at least eat together for half an hour. After they sat down on one of the small wooden tables at the terrace, they both ordered their meals and started chatting about the latest events.

When Eren finally told him about the stolen evidence, Armin let out a thoughtful hum.

„That's bad“, he said, munching absentmindly on his pasta.

„I know, isn't it?“ Eren exclaimed, pointing her fork at him. „Now I am not allowed to arrest this bastard, I have to wait until we're able to find new evidences. Levi even dares to show in public now that he think he's safe.“ Eren gritted her teeth at this thought.

„Yeah, yeah, I know, but... isn't it funny that these evidences just disappeared? Like they would have never existed?“ Armin rested his head on his hands.

Eren raised an eyebrowe. „I know that you have something to say when you give me that look. Just spit it out already.“

„Well, think about the fact that there were at least two betrayers in your squad lately. They spyed on you, and they even kidnapped you. Why shouldn't there be more of them, sabotaging our work not only in your team but also in the whole agency?“

Eren admitted that she had also considered this. But it was an uncomfortable thought that there were even more people who would abuse her trust. She stirred her coffee and watched the black swirl her spoon caused.

„Do you already have an idea who it could be?“ she asked, unsure if she wanted to hear the answer.

Armin was quiet for a few seconds, and Eren glanced at him. His face was an unreadable mask. Eren knew this expression; he already began to put two and two together in his mind, but was not sure about his conclusions. A moment later the mask vanished and he gave Eren a polite smile. „No, I don't.“

She knew Armin was lying, but she didn't want to pry. He would tell her when he thought it would be the right moment.

„Please, tell me about the plan Erwin suggested“, Armin said instead.

„Oh, right!“ Eren exclaimed. „It's pretty exciting! Jean and I will go to 'Wall Maria', one of Levi's fancy night clubs that he runs to hide his true business. We will be undercover and try to sneak into the office -“

Armin raised an eyebrowe at her. „You will be undercover? But don't you think he will recognise you?“ he asked doubtingly.

Eren shook her head while she took a sip of her coffee. „No, I will dress up, wearing a wig and stuff. Besides, I don't think he will be there today. He rarely visited his own clubs at night in the past.“

Armin tilted his head to the side, still looking musingly at Eren. „Ok. Please, continue.“

„Like I said, we will sneak into the office and try to find incriminatory documents. Rumours say that he made a contract with a group of rebels to sell them weapons. And now that we observe his villa he has to find another hiding-place for his papers.“

Armin still didn't seem to be entirely convinced. „I am not sure if I like this plan. Don't forget he is much stronger than you and this club is his territory. If anyone spots you, it will get very dangerous.“

Eren grinned at him, sure of victory. „Don't worry. Perhaps Levi was stronger when we met the first time, but I've trained a lot since then. He won't overpower me a second time.“

Besides, she had the feeling that Levi wouldn't kill her on the spot. He seemed to have too much fun teasing and annoying her, so if she really got caught he would waste his time by making some stupid comments. Though Armin was informed about the man's strange preference to annoy Eren, she didn't tell him all the details from their last encounter in the factory. She felt like nobody needed to know about the kiss. Well, she also wouldn't call it a kiss actually. A kiss would have meant something, and this had meant _absolutely nothing_. It had been a mouth-to-mouth-touch. Yeah, that was the most suitable explanation.

Eren's train of thoughts was interrupted when she heard a familiar voice screaming behind her.

„Eren, Aaarmin!“ Eren turned around and found herself in the tight embrace of an overly excited Hanji.

„Happy Birthday, my dear!“ the woman squealed and tightened her grip even more.

„Hanji...can't...breath...“, Eren gasped.

„Oh I'm sorry“, Hanji laughed and let go of her to greet Armin the same way. She sat down on one of the plushy chairs and beamed at Eren, not saying anything.

„Uhm, is there something I can help you with?“ the young woman asked.

Hange snickered, rummaged in her bag and finally pulled out a little gift box. It was completely black and wrapped with a green ribbon. „Here, I have a present for you. Hope you'll like it“, she said as she gave it to Eren.

„Oh, thank you that was not necessa-“, Eren's eyes widened as she opened the box. „Hanji, are you crazy! That really wasn't necessary!“

A plain silver necklace with a green pendant layed on a white silky cushion, the small drop-shaped stone twinkled gorgeously in the sunlight. Depending from which perspective you looked at it, the pendant seemed to change its colour from a deep green to a bright turquise. To be honest, Eren wasn't really the type which cared much about jewelry, but this necklace looked simply beautiful. Beautiful, but also expensive.

„What, you don't like it?“ Hanji asked with the expression of a kicked puppy.

„N-no, that's not it!“ Eren explained quickly. „I love it, really! It's absolutely stunning. It's just … you can't give me something that expensive.“

Hanji laughed relieved as she clapped her hands together. „Don't worry, Eren. I had this necklace since forever but actually never wore it. And then I saw it the other day and the colour totally reminded me of your eyes, and I thought, why not? I wanted to make you happy since you worked so hard for the Scouting Legion the last weeks!“

Eren smiled at her. This present and the fact that Hanji wanted to give her a treat really meant much to her.

„Well then, thank you, Hanji.“ she said while she admired the colour of the stone once more. „I appreciate it.“

 

\---

 

A few hours later it started to get serious. The preparations for the undercover-mission were almost done and Eren couldn't recognise herself in the mirror anymore. The nightclub was kind of fancy, so evening dresses were required. Eren decided for a green strapless dress; she picked it because of the convenient slit at the sight, so she would be able to grab the gun she tied around her thigh very fast. Her messy brown hair was hidden under a short red wig. It was a bob, cut at an angle, and with this on her head Eren didn't look like herself at all.

Sasha helped her with the final touch and put on what felt like tons of make up. Most of the time Eren was not wearing any make up, so it was a pretty unfamiliar feeling when her comrade started to paint her lips red. The whole team watched Sasha's working process fascinated, and even Armin, Erwin and Hange were there to wish them luck.

Jean, dressed in a black smoking, appeared behind Eren, grinning. „I'm tempted to say I won't feel ashamed tonight with you on my side“, he said teasingly. „You almost look like a normal human being, Eren!“

„Likewise, horseface“, she deadpanned at him. „Your suit may disguise your crappy personality, too.“

They grinned at each other, Jean even sticking out his tongue, and put on their jackets. When they already wanted to leave, Hange jumped in the way and hold them back.

„Wait, Eren. You forgot to put on your new necklace!“ she beamed. „It would totally fit your outfit and emphasise your eyes!“

Armin cleared his throat. „I don't know if it is a good idea to bring the attention to Eren's eyes tonight. Levi might recognise them.“

„Huh?“ Eren asked, already fiddling with the necklace. „Why should he remember the look of my eyes?“

Armin let out a sigh and rolled his eyes. „Well, maybe because he-“

„Aah, don't be boring, Armin!“ Hanji interrupted him. „It's a good-luck charm, nothing bad will happen!“

 

When they entered the club, Eren had to keep herself off staring at the luxurious interior furnishment. The walls of the club were painted red and decorated with beautiful pictures of different landscapes. Although it was crowded, the heavy golden curtains created an intimate atmosphere, and black furniture completed the elegant ambience. If Eren wouldn't knew that this place was paid with money from countless criminal acts, she maybe would like it.

They went inside to have a first look at the situation. Jean adjusted his cravat and ran a hand through his hair.

„If this is a club of the Wings of freedom", he said to Eren, „do you think Mikasa will be here as well?“

Eren gave him an evaluating look. „Don't know. Why do you ask?“

„Uhm...nothing.“ _Was Jean actually blushing?_ „J-just curious, I think.“

He tugged at his cravat once more and was suddenly very busy not to look at Eren. She shook her head and dragged him towards the bar. It would be best to explore the whole club area first, and then try to sneak into the office premises. They made their way through the bar and looked around to find an entrance to the office. A heavy black door with a small glass window gained Eren's attention. She assumed it to be the entrance to a staircase, maybe it would lead her to the office. Eren gave Jean a sign and they continued to walk around like normal guests. She let her gaze wander to watch the other people crowded there. She couldn't overview all of them, as the room was big and had many little comfortable looking corners with couches hidden behind curtains. When she looked over to one of the sitting areas, Eren almost froze.

There was no way she could mistake the silky black hair and the pale skin.

It was Levi.

Why was he here, why the hell had it to be today? Couldn't he have picked another day to show up for the first time at his own club?

Eren tried to appear casual while she peeked at Levi. He sipped at a glas filled with brown liquid, his face stoic and unreadable like it was the first time Eren had met him. He didn't even blink when one of the beautiful women next to him bent forward to whisper something to him. Eren wondered if he would only show his smile when he was teasing someone.

Suddenly Levi turned his gaze into Eren's direction and she quickly covered her face with her hands, pretending to brush out a few bangs of red hair.

„Okay“, she whispered to Jean. „I will go upstairs to search for the office now. You will have a look at the situation here. Contact me if there is anything unusual.“

Eren adjusted the earpiece that would help her communicating with her team members. Sasha and Connie were situated at the outside to report if there would be any problems.

Acting as inconspicuously as possible, Eren sneaked through the door without being noticed. Quickly she went up the stairs and found herself standing in a small dark hallway. There were only two wooden doors and no guards in sight.

Eren opened the first door to find a dust room. The cleaning products were stored neatly, everything seemed to be clean and tidy. She tried to get into the next room but the door was locked. Unimpressed Eren pulled out a credit card to open the lock with a quiet click and slipped into the room. It was odd that the leader of a mafia would leave his office unguarded, but considering Levi's arrogant behavior in the past he might felt too safe nowadays. Eren would think about this later, now it was the time to act.

„Horseface, can you hear me? I'm inside“, she whispered.

The earpiece rustled, and Jeans enraged voice jarred through it. „How often do I have to repeat that my mission name _is not_ horseface!“

Eren snickered, but replied nothing. She started to search for important or suspicious documents, but there was not much to look through at the desk. She opened an old filing cabinet and was pleased to find a small iron safe. It took Eren some minutes to crack the lock, but she managed it to open the safe. Looking inside, she just found a small black box.

 „What a strange way to store your documents“, she muttered to herself as she opened it.

But instead of papers she just found a single red rose and small note inside.

 

_Happy Birthday, Sweetheart. I know you were hoping for more by sneaking into my rooms, but this is the only present I can give you for now._

_Since you were so happy when I sent you flowers the last time, I thought this rose will do._

_Best wishes, Levi_

 

Next to the neatly handwritten text a small picture was tacked. Recognising the photography with herself staring pissed at a bunch of flowers on her desk, Eren didn't even try to hide her anger. „Mikasa, you goddamn traitor!“ she cursed, kicking the filing in front of her. Eren crumpled the note in her fist and turned around to leave the room, when she noticed a camera above the door frame, filming the whole scenario.

Of course Levi had to record how she fell for his shitty trick. Why didn't she notice this earlier? She really should be more careful the next time.

„Oh, fuck you too!“ she flipped the camera the bird and left the office.

Eren went down the stairs and slipped through the door to the hallway again, quickly reporting to Jean that she would continue her searching. She looked around. There were a bunch of people near the entrance, but nobody had noticed her. They were all to drunk or to engaged with their chat partners.

Good.

She would only check the exit at the end of the hallway before she would leave. Otherwise she would ask herself the whole time if she maybe had missed something. Without attracting attention she slowly walked into the direction of her goal, passing a few drunk guests that argued heatedly about the latest football match. Eren rolled her eyes; fancy or not, people would always stay the same.

She had almost reached her destination when she suddenly felt an arm wrapped around her waist from behind.

„Wrong direction, Sweetheart“, a hoarse voice murmured into her ear. „Did you really want to sneak out without thanking me for my little birthday surprise? How rude.“

Of course she instantly recognised that annoying voice and the arrogant bastard it came from. Levi stood right behind her, his grip around her waist tight. His body pressed slightly against her back, distracting her from her mission for the blink of an eye.

Gathering her thoughts again, Eren hissed angryly as she twisted and tried to turn away from him. She immadietly stiffened as he brushed away some fake red hair and nuzzled his head into her neck.

„Hm, you smell delicious tonight“, Levi whispered. „Do you try to seduce me with this scent?“

Eren wasn't able to move. Her neck had always been her weak spot, whenever somebody casually touched it a prickling feeling would rush through her body. But Levi didn't just touch it casually, he brushed his lips above the soft skin and made her shiver. Her brain shut down, she couldn't think straight anymore.

„By the way, you really have a nice new necklace“, His smooth voice carressed her ears teasingly. „Suits your eyes.“

Eren cursed internally. Damn Hange and her good-luck-charm.

„Maybe I will use this necklace to strangle you!“, she growled, trying to free herself again.

„Didn't know that you were into these kind of things“, Levi laughed darkly. „But if this is what turns you on ...“

Not really listening to the nonsense he was telling, Eren concentrated on reaching out for her gun.

Fuck Erwin's instructions, fuck the law, she would shoot Levi, right here and right now.

Her hand slipped underneath the silky fabric of her dress, ready to grab the weapon any moment. But before she could even touch the cold metal, Levi's hand wrapped around her own and caught a hold of hers. His slender fingers intertwined with hers, and she couldn't move her hand anymore. His strong grip was merciless.

_God fucking dammit._

„I highly recommend you to stop this, Miss Yeager“, Levi whispered. „It'd be damn shitty if my guards needed to attack you. They won't hesitate.“

Eren looked up to see that a few people spread across the room were watching them. She could recognise the woman with the strawberry blond hair from the factory, sending Eren a murderous glare as if she wanted to tear her apart.

„Then let me go“, Eren gritted her teeth. As long as they looked like two lovers whispering sweet nothings the guards would not intervent, but Eren would also not be able to leave. And that was what she wanted to do the most at this moment - just leave. Be alone and able to gather her thoughts.

„But I don't want to“, Levi smirked, squeezing her hand a bit more.

Eren started to lose her patience.

„Fine!“ she hissed and rammed her elbow in his stomach. Levi loosened his grip and she used this moment to turn around and shove him against the wall. To keep up the idea of a lovey-dovey couple she bent forward to him, but made sure to hold his wrists down so that he could not embrace her anymore. He stared at her with unreadable eyes, but did nothing to stop her pressing him against the wall.

„You became stronger“, he acknowledged.

„Of course I did“, she growled.

Then she lowered her voice. „Listen, fucker. I don't know how you managed to steal the evidences, but don't worry. I'll find a way, and I'll get your sorry ass!“ Levi's lips tugged into a smug smile. „Can't wait for that day, Miss Yeager“, he said mockingly. Eren sent him one last warning glare and turned around to stump away. On her way out she grabbed Jean, who wandered around as if he was searching for somebody.

 

They immadiatly went back to the Scouting Legion headquarter to report the failed mission. After they had discussed about it two hours, Eren finally found a moment to speak with Armin alone. She dragged him into her office, reassured that nobody was listening and looked him in the eyes.

„Armin, I think you were right. He knew we would come today and try to find the evidences. Somebody must have told him. I think we have another traitor in here.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just love the idea of Armin being a psychologist.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When they ambush the Wings of freedom, Eren and her team are able to surprise the mafia. Eren is not willing to give up, but then something goes terribly wrong...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm SO sorry for the delay, guys .__. Originally I wanted to wait for this chapter to be beta-d, because usually I want the things I make to be as good as possible. But unfortunately my beta was very busy the last weeks, and the impatient little shit I am, I couldn't wait anymore to update. So yeah, this is unbeta-d, and I've made you wait for no point. Again, I'm sorry.  
> At least chapter 1 is rewritten now, and I love the outcome.  
> As an apology, I promise to update chapter 4 next sunday!
> 
> And also, a big thanks to all of you. You have no idea how happy your comments and kudos make me, I'm always grinning like an idiot while I read this, and my roommates ask me to wipe the creepy smile of my face.  
> Oh, and if you're also one of those people who like to listen to music while reading, I recommend "Machine Gun blues" from Social Distortion, I heard it the whole time while writing this chapter.  
> Ok, I'll stop rambling now, hope you'll enjoy it!

Eren was glad to have some minutes alone with Armin in her office. The incident in the club two hours before had been annoying, and she needed someone that she could talk to. The fact that another traitor rattened the work of the Scouting Legion disturbed Eren deeply. She didn't know who to trust anymore, and she had no plan what to do next. She just wasn't used to the feeling that somebody so close to her would want to hurt her.

Armin still claimed that he had no idea who the traitor was, but insisted Eren to keep her eyes open and tell him everything that seemed odd. Although their conversation didn't help to find the traitor, it helped Eren to calm down her nerves. Armin was a very good listener; in fact he was one of the few people that Eren would show her vulnerable side to. She might be a tough and determined woman, but of course there were also situations when she would feel weak and powerless. And in those moments it was good to have a best friend like Armin Arlert. He would listen to all of her problems, and he would find the words that would make her feel better.

She told Armin about the disappointment and the uncertainity she felt since the incident in the factory, and he listened and nodded like the good friend he was.

„The funniest thing is, I maybe could have dealt with Reiner's cheating, but finding out that Mikasa was also working against us was... I don't know. It was worse.“ Eren said thoughtfully. „I mean, we just knew for like 2 months or so, but I felt a deep connection to her. Like I could have entrusted her my own life. Did I imagine all those things? Does this sound crazy?“ She looked at Armin with a sad glint in her eyes.

He gave himself some seconds to think about Eren's words. „No, I don't think so. Usually you have a good intuition. And when you say someone is a good person then they usually are.“ He tipped a finger on his nose, a habit he often showed when he was thinking about something very concentrated. „Besides, I don't have the impression that she is a heartless mafiosa who is just working for her own benefit. There has to be a better explanation. I still believe she is a good person deep down.“

„Yeah, I saw what a good person she was. All of people she could have called when whe were in trouble she decided to send for Levi.“ Eren almost spat out these words. „I still can't believe it.“ The mere memory of his arrogant smirk made her blood boil from anger again.

„Speaking of him....“Armin trailed off when Eren gave him a gloomy glare. „I just wanted to ask you...What do you think of him? How do you see him?“ the blond asked and tilted his head.

His blue eyes seemed to scan Eren's face for some sort of reaction. She didn't like it when Armin would send her his psychologist-look. As if he wanted to read her mind. And oh yes, Eren would not be surprised if he acutally could.

„What I think… what do you mean?“ Eren asked with a frown. „He is a fucking criminal bastard! And he is also the _most annoying_ fucking criminal bastard that I know!“

„Hmm...“ Armin sat down on the chair in front of Eren's desk, the special look still settled on his face.

„What is 'hmm' supposed to mean?“ the woman asked and interlocked her arms as she continued glaring at her friend.

She didn't know why she suddenly felt cornered. All Armin did was asking what she thought about this asshole, why was she becoming so angry right now?

„Eren,“ the blond sighed. „You told me all the things he said to you, didn't you? It's pretty obvious that Levi flirts with you the whole time...“

„That's because he's a fucking bastard, like I said.“ Eren repeated stubborn. „He just loves to make fun of me.“

„ ... And although you have a habit of getting angry all the time,“ Armin continued ignoring her last comment, „ you lose your temper pretty quickly when he is around. You know, there is this phenomenom about the conditioning of adrenaline and emotions in threatening situations, you start to transfer and project the feeling of excitement to the person you've experienced them with. And let's not forget that he saved you in the factory and that...“

„Armin, get to the point!“ Eren interrupted impatiently, knitting her brows. Every other person would have been extremly terrified of her dark gaze, but not Armin. He knew her too long and too well. „What are you trying to imply?“

He bent forward and looked Eren into the eyes. Yeah, here it was again. This I-can-read-your-mind-look that she tried to avoid so much.

„Listen, it's just that you might experience some... confusing feelings towards Levi. I know that you hate him and that you want to arrest him,“ he raised his voice as Eren opened her mouth to retort, „but situations can get complicated. And I just wanna let you know that you always can come to me and tell me about everything. Regardless how incorrect and wrong feelings and actions may seem, I won't judge you. I will just listen to you and support you.“

Eren's expression softened as she took his hand. Although Armin's intelligence could be intimidating sometimes, he would never use it against Eren. That was the only thing that she was sure of right now.

Eren gave him a little smile. „I know, Armin. You would never judge anyone. You are the best person I know.“ She closed her eyes for a few seconds, and when she opened it the angry glare glinted in her bright eyes again. „But I can assure you of that one thing: there are no such things as 'confusing feelings' that I have regarding Levi. He is just another arrogant and criminal ass that I will put into jail.“

 

\---

 

„Sasha, are you sure that you want me to add potatoes as well?“ Eren shouted her question towards the living room. „I have the feeling it wouldn't fit the concept of a noodle soup!“

It was saturday evening and she had met with Sasha to cook together. Normally they would go out and dance to distract theirselves from stressfull weeks like the last. But for a certain reason Eren couldn't stand being in a nightclub anymore for the next time.

Sasha came back to the kitchen, two beers in her hand. „I don't understand your question. Of course I want you to.“ she grinned as she shoved one bottle into Eren's hand.

The latter rolled her eyes. „I knew they gave you the name 'potatoe girl' for a reason.“

Sasha snorted and took a sip of her beer. „Call me potatoe girl once again and I might adopt this 'sweetheart'-thing for you.“

She laughed at the face Eren made instantly.

„C'mon, don't make that face on an evening like that!“ Sasha grinned. „We are off, have a pot full of food and a basement full of beer! What more could one want?“

 

An hour later they sat down on Sasha's couch, satisfied and stuffed after they had vanished almost the whole pot of soup. They decided to just pick a movie; they were to lazy to go out and socialize with other people. Sasha rumaged through her DVD box and let out a triumphant yell as she fished out a disc.

„Finally, I've searched for this like 4 months now!“ she beamed. „Eren, let's watch 'Fear and loathing in Las Vegas'! I love this movie so much.“

Eren rolled her eyes. „Sasha, we're cops, I don't get why you are so keen on these stupid pothead-movies.“

Sasha stuck out her tongue to this words and just raised a snort and a muttered „Potatoe girl!“ from her boss.

„But it's funny!“ she whined in reply. „Hey, imagine how much more fun our work would be if the suspects were like Johnny Depp!“ Sasha grabbed Eren by the collar and lowered her voice in a serious tone. „'We can't stop here, sweetheart, this is bat country!'“ She pulled back and bursted out in laughter.

„Yeah, totally funny.“ Eren deadpanned. „That didn't even make sen-“

She stopped as the phone in her pocket vibrated. Whipping it out she was annyoed to notice who the incoming caller was.

„Hey Erwin, what's up?“ she answered the call.

„Eren, I'm sorry to disturb your free evening, but I have important news. My informant advised me that the Wings of freedom are planning to realise the handover of the weapons in two hours.“

 

\---

 

As soon as possible Eren and Sasha arrived at the old harbour, the place where the handover was planned. It was a cold and rainy night, a dense fog filled the air. Eren inhaled deeply as she stepped out of the car. She loved those moments before they would start a mission. Most of the people didn't like the thought of beeing put into such dangerous situations, but Eren enjoyed the prickling feeling of adrenaline rushing through her venes. Not to forget the moment of joy when she would arrest the target, clearing the streets of her beloved city from another criminal subject. And oh, tonight was one of those nights she would savour this feeling. Tonight something big would happen, Eren just knew it.

They met with Erwin, Jean and Connie in a dirty old office-building at the end of the harbour area. Just Armin was missing; Erwin didn't manage to get through to him. Eren could imagine how her best friend was absorbed in his own little world while reading some new books on his plushy old couch, not noticing when his phone was ringing. She was not concerned, they would be able to succed without him as well.

They discussed their tactics a last time with Erwin before they would hide themselfes in the area and wait for the Wings of freedom to arrive.

„Ok, so we got the information that the rebels will buy the weapons tonight in 30 minutes. We heard that it will be twelf people, either six from the rebels and six from the mafia. Levi himself should be here as well. Today is the day we gonna get them.“ Erwin summed up with his calm deep voice.

He eyed each one of them, to see if they were ready for this task.

Connie broke the serious silence with a curious question. „Where did you get the information from?“

Eren noticed the calculating look in Erwins eyes as he smiled politely at Connie. „That doesn't matter right now. It's just important that you guys will be succesfull tonight. I believe in you.“

The rest of the team nodded with serious faces, just Eren was lost in her own thoughts. Who could have given those informations, and why would Erwin refuse to tell them his source? Did he think that the traitor would be in her team? Again? Eren couldn't believe this, she trusted Sasha, Jean and Connie. On the other hand, she had also trusted Reiner and Mikasa, and where did it lead to?

She would be more than happy to finally catch Levi. She was sure that the Wings of freedom would fall when their leader got arrested. And when the streets of her city were cleared of this criminal organisation, the other smaller groups would also be no problem for the Scouting Legion. Eren had sworn herself that she would exterminate the organised criminality, and she would start tonight with this. It would feel wonderful to close the handcuffs around Levi's wrists, to see his stupid grin disappear from -

„Eren, wipe that creepy smile of your face, we're heading!“ Jean snapped his fingers in front of Eren to bring her back to reality.

 

They had positioned behind old containers in a big rambled storage depot, each one of them on another spot. The plan was to surprise the gangsters during the handover, and to arrest all of them. Eren's squad even got reinforcement from the police so they would not be short-handed against the criminals.

It didn't last long and they heard footsteps.

„If these shitheads are late again tonight, I'll shove my knife up their asses. How can one be so rude and make other people kick their heels“ Eren heard Levi's familiar deep voice.

„Don't think so.“ another male voice answered. „I think I made it clear to them to be punctual this time.“

The agent peeked around the corner and saw six people walking into the hall. She could recognize Levi, Mikasa, the amber-haired woman and the guy named Oluo. Two other men, one blond and one raven-haired, she saw for the first time. They were all dressed in dark, plain clothes, and Eren could see Levi lighting a cigarette with gloved slender fingers.

The group waited in silence and it didn't last long till a group of people dressed in green clothes, faces hidden behind scarfs, arrived. Eren couldn't tell if it were men or women behind the loose clothes, but it also didn't matter. She would concentrate on the Wings of freedom, the rebels were business of the police.

The criminals talked a few words before they started the handover. A person from the rebels group and Mikasa stepped forward, both black simple suitcases in their hands.

The moment they switched them Eren gave the sign and they all jumped out of their ambush.

Now it was about time. Now she would defeat him.

„Drop the suitcase and put your hands up, all!“ Eren called as she pointed her gun at Levi.

Her comrades and the other police officers surrounded the group of gangsters, fingers on the trigger of their guns. Eren tried to keep track of the whole situation, but her main focus was on the target in front of her.

The man turned around and his eyes widened in surprisment.

„Miss Yeager!“ Levi stared at her incredulously; this time no smug smile appeared on his face.

Eren gave herself a mental high-five. Apparantly they finally had caught him off-guard, he wouldn't be able to make one of his stupid jokes with her. He would not escape again, not this time.

Eren was about to repeat her demand as she noticed a movement in the corner of her eye. She turned her head into the direction and noticed in horror that one of the rebels was about to throw a smokebomb into the crowd. The agent wanted to shoot it out of his hands, but it was too late. With a baleful sibilance the bomb fell to the ground, and within the next seconds the hall was filled with thick white smoke, making it hard to breathe.

Eren tried to look around. She could only distinguish the shade of Sasha next to her. The woman coughed and tried to catch her breath again. Her voice was rasp and husky as she spoke to her squad leader.

„Fuck, Eren, we have to get out-“

Before Sasha could continue, a gunshoot ripped the air. Eren felt the bullet whooshing next to her ear.

_Fuck. This is getting out of control._

Eren grabbed Sasha and dragged her with her as she jumped to the side. They were able to hide behind a big grey pillar to take shelter from the next gun shoots. With the earpiece Eren asked her comrades if they were allright. For the first time in her life she was relieved to hear Jean's annoying voice, reassuring that he and Connie were fine, also safe behind a container.

 _Good_ , she thought.  _Now I have to find out where the shooting is coming from._

Eren breathed deeply and tried to calm down. She would need her entire attention to manage this situation. Although her heart was pounding hard in her chest the moment Eren slowly peeked around the corner, she felt calm and thrilled at the same time. In such threatening moments the world seem to run slower, she was able to take in the whole situation. Eren was able to hear everything, to see everything and even to smell everything. Her senses went on full speed. And that was why she loved her job. In those moments she felt powerful, alive. She was able to achieve everything that she wanted.

The smoke cleared up a bit and Eren could see the amber-haired woman she had met in the factory before. She hid her body behind a pile of boxes, but looked straight into Eren's direction. Her big brown eyes sparkled with a dangerous glare as she lifted her gun and fired at Eren once more.

„This fucking insane!“ Eren groaned as she dodged.

She took a second to aim before she shooted herself at the woman, one time, two times. The amber-haired was still moving, trying to fire another bullet at Eren.

The agent lifted her gun to shoot a third time, hiding immadietly behind the pillar as the next bullet was fired.

„Petra, that's enough!“ Levi's sharp voice resounded from the other end of the hall. „We're retrieving!“

Eren snapped her head into the direction the voice came from. Like hell she would let him escape now. Not when she was so close to get him.

Before she could think about it any further, Eren sprinted towards the place she assumed Levi. The smoke was almost faded now and she could see his athletic figure running in front of her.

Damn, he was fast.

 _Come on, this is the situation you trained for the last months.'_ Eren encouraged herself. _You can do this. You'll get him.  
_

Her lungs burned from the smoke and the running, but she managed to up the tempo and closed the gap. Levi looked behind him and was surprised to find Eren catching up. He tried to get rid of his pursuer by jumping on the next pile of heavy wooden boxes. Climbing on top of the stack he reached out his arms to grab the balustrade of the second floor above him. With a graceful move he swung around it and landed on his feet on the next floor.

As Eren watched his gymnastically movements, she couldn't hold back a mocking grimace. If he thought he could throw her off that easy he was badly mistaken. Before she came to the Scouting Legion she had spent most of her time with parkour, and she had been pretty good at it. Running straight forward regardless of any hurdles, overcoming big walls and challenging herself to get better everytime had been a passion of her. And now this hobby would be more than useful to her.

There was no way this shortass bastard would beat her in her own discipline.

Without wasting any time Eren followed him, her movements fast and skilled. The moment her feet touched the ground of the second floor she continued sprinting after her target. Noticing that he was still chased by her, Levi quickly grabbed one of the old roll containers standing at the wall and pushed it towards Eren. She almost stumbled as the heavy furniture got in her way, but with a powerful jump she was able to dodge. Levi was almost at the end of the hallway and slipped through an old iron door.

Eren's heart was pounding, her pulse racing. She almost flung the heavy door out of its frames as she kicked it in. Another big hall extended in front of her.

She was standing on the platform of a long old stairwell, three metres above the floor of the hall. Levi was already at the bottom step and turned around for a second as he heard the bursting door. He looked Eren straight in the eye and showed a teasing smirk before he continued running towards the exit.

_This motherfucker._

The woman deliberated just a few seconds. She would not have the time to run down the stairs normally if she wanted to catch him.

Eren inhaled deeply before she climbed on the handrail of the platform, making herself ready to jump. The adrenaline rushed through her venes as she pushed herself off the balustrade and springed down the three metres.

With a skillfull roll she landed on the floor, right in front of Levi, cutting his way.

The man stopped thunderstrucked, staring at her as she lifted her head to sent him an angry glare. Without hesitating she jumped forwards, wrapped her arms around Levi's waist and pushed him to the floor, landing on top of him. His hand reached out to grab the gun at his belt, but Eren was faster and whipped it away. The rattling noise of his weapon landing on the floor satisfied the agent to no end.

All the hard training in the last months had payed well.

The effort caused Eren to breath heavily, but she was damn proud of herself. By her unwearying work she had managed to catch him again, and now was her time to defeat him once and for all. This time she wouldn't make the mistake to let the mafialeader disarm her.

Thinking of his almost scary skilled combatskills she jumped off him and stood up above the man. Eren lifted her gun and pulled the finger on the trigger, just in case. Levi looked up at her, eyes sparkling.

_Stay calm. You're a pro. You'll get this done without flipping out._

This time Eren wouldn't give him the satisfaction to get affected by his words again.

„Passionate as always, Miss Yeager.“ the man purred as he sat up. „Missed me that much?“

Eren groaned annoyed. So much for staying calm.

„I'm pointing a fucking gun at your head right now.“ she said with gritted teeth. „Can't you behave like every other normal criminal, this one time?“

Levi dusted himself down and chuckled.

„Sorry, sweetheart.“ he said with his hoarse voice. „Guess I got distracted by you panting on top of me.“

Eren needed all the energy she could summon up to not shoot him for this comment. This arrogant bastard would be the end of her.

„But if you ask me to I'll be a good boy now.“ Levi continued to rub it in.

The familiar anger boiled up in her again, but she decided to ignore his attempts to annoy her and pulled the handcuffs of her waistbelt instead.

„Stand up and reach your hands out in front of you!“ she demanded, her voice rigid and commanding.

„Oh, so finally we're getting to the exciting part...“ Levi drawled as he stood up, irritantly slow.

Eren resisted the impulse to punch him in the face. It was her victory, he couldn't spoil it with his stupid comments.

Ok, maybe he could. But hell if she would let him know this.

Levi stood in front of Eren now and smirked at her, not making any attempt to follow her orders. She sent him a deadly glare and tinkled with the handcuffs.

„Reach. Out.“ Eren growled.

Before either one of them could move, the loud sounds of a bursting door and hectic footsteps attracted their attention. Eren turned around to see the man named Oluo behind her, pointing a gun at her.

 _Yeah, of course._ She almost rolled her eyes. _I'm so fucking done with this shit._

„Sorry that we're late, boss.“ Oluo said while he wiped the sweat of his forehead away with a clean white scarf.

Behind him the amber-haired woman with the insane look on her face appeared, her pistol also aiming at Eren.

„No problem, I had some entertaining company while waiting.“ Levi said to them without taking his gaze away from Eren.

The anger inside her had reached a dangerously high level and for a brief moment she considered shooting at the mafia leader regardless of his two armed companions behind her. As if Oluo had read her thoughts, he pushed his weapon into Eren's back.

„Now stop pointing your gun at the boss and put your hands up, cozzer.“ he said with a volitional bored voice.

Eren gritted her teeth and mumbled a curse to herself as she did what she was told.

So close. She had been so close to achieve her goal. Where were her comrades when she needed them? Were they too engaged fighting against the rebels and the rest fo the mafia?

Instead of frogmarching this criminal bastard in front of her she had to admit defeat and let him escape. _Again_.

Levi's smirk grew wider as he stepped closer to Eren, taking the gun out of her hands with his slender fingers. He dangled the weapon in front of her face.

„Sorry, I'll have to take this with me, Miss Yeager.“ he said with a mocking voice.

Eren growled, but at least Oluo put away the pistole from her back now. The agent hoped that they would leave her alone now that she was unarmed.

She really should have known better.

Instead of finally fucking off now Levi stepped even closer and bent forwards, his mouth just a few inches away from her neck. His voice was hoarse and low as he murmered into her ear.

„But don't worry, I'd borrow you _my gun_ anytime if you want.“ he hummed suggestively.

„You fucking piece of -“ Eren jerked forwards to rip him apart, but Oluo was faster. He clenched a strong grip around her, trying to hold her in place. Eren didn't stop to struggle, and so Petra joined in and helped Oluo to pull her back. The amber-haired woman pushed the barrel of her gun at the brunette's forehead, and finally Eren stiffened. She kept still now, but not without glaring daggers at Levi.

The mafia leader stepped back and chuckled, his usual ice-cold eyes shining with amusement.

„You're reactions are too endearing, sweetheart.“ he said, his fucking smirk so wide that Eren thought it would never disappear anymore. „But I think it's better if we adjourn our little coze now.“

He stored her gun and his own away and turned around.

„See you soon, Miss Yeager.“ Levi waved nonchalantly and walked towards the exit, as if he had all the time in the world.

Eren's anger grew even bigger as she caught herself watching the swing of his petite sharp hips instead of thinking about how to kick his ass.

No, there was no way she would find this criminal bastard attractive.

Not at all.

Though the conversation she had with Armin a few days ago popped up in her head. She tried her best to push his warning regarding the 'confusing feelings' in the back of her mind as Oluo and Petra released her to follow their leader, not without Petra giving Eren a warning glare and a wave with her gun. „One wrong movement and I'll shoot nevertheless“ her gaze seemed to say.

Eren clenched her fists and waited till the three gangster were out of sight before she left the hall to find her comrades.

 

\---

 

A few minutes later they had gathered again in front of the building.

On the good side none of Eren's comrades or the police reinforcement were seriously injured, on the bad side they had not been able to catch one of the criminals. The rebel's smokebomb-action had disturbed their whole mission, but at least they had a new reason to hunt for Levi officially once again.

But Eren didn't want to admit defeat so easily. Just because she had lost a battle it didn't mean she had lost the war.

„Okay, everybody.“ she directed towards her squad. „We'll go now and search the area for more evidences. Maybe we can find a useful hint or something.“

Jean and Connie looked at her, taken aback. „What, we still can't go home? But Ereeen, it's Saturday night, the forensic people can search for evidence...“

The woman narrowed her eyes as she sent them a warning glare. „I don't care if they can search for this, we'll help them. People that were involved in a fight have a very different perspective at the scenario, maybe we're able to notice something important!“

“That's my girl, always ambitious to win!“ Hange exclaimed behind Eren, grabbing the shoulders of the younger woman.

Belonging to the forensic team, the scientist was one of the first who arrived at the place after the shooting. As usual she almost bursted with energy, regardless of the late time of the night. It was not the first time Eren asked herself if Hange took secretly some of her own chemicals.

 

They had separated into teams of two people to search for more hints, but Eren insisted to wander alone around the area.

She needed some time and space to think about the latest developments. Eren was frustrated that she had let Levi escape once again, and she still got angry while thinking about his stupid comments and this self-assured smirk of him. But what unsettled her even more was the fact the man always managed it to toy around with her. Like Armin said Eren was a short-tempered woman, but for her job she always tried to remain cool and level-headed. But Levi seemed to know exactly which buttons to press to piss Eren of. She didn't know why she got so angry around him, and she also didn't want to think further about this right now.

Eren had to get a job done, she had better things to do than thinking about this asshole all the time.

Lost in her thoughts the woman didn't notice that she had wandered far away at the other end of the harbour area. Eren just wanted to turn back, as she heard a muffled sob close by.

She stopped and looked around in confusment, but all she could see were big dark buildings and stocks of boxes.

Where could this come from? Nobody was supposed to be here in the middle of the night.

The sobbing got louder, and Eren decided to follow the sound. She drew the gun she had borrowed from Erwin since her own one was taken away by a certain bastard and slipped carefully around the corner. The area was just barely lighted by the moonlight and so Eren needed some seconds to realise that the shadow in the corner of a blind alley was actual a human being. A girl with light brown locks was sitting on the floor, her arms wrapped around bended legs.

As Eren went closer, the girl looked up at her with teary eyes.

„P-please, don't kill me!“ she whispered weakly.

Her whole body began to tremble as she saw the gun in Eren's hands. „Don't kill me.“ she repeated, her voice almost choking.

Eren put the weapon in the holster again and showed the girl her bare hands to reassure her that she was unarmed now. Slowly she walked closer. „Hey, it's allright, don't be afraid!“ Eren said in the most comforting tone she could manage. „I'm a special agent, I won't hurt you.“

The girl stared up at her, apparantly unsure if she could trust the woman.

„What are you doing here in the middle of the night, girl?“ Eren asked with a soft voice.

The curly head sobbed once more before she spoke up. „I...I was walking my dog Sawney like every evening here, but suddenly I heard gun shootings. I thought maybe it was some gang war and hid here.“ She wiped away a tear in her eye. „I was so frightened the whole time.“

Eren nodded and smiled reassuring at her. „It was good that you hid. Don't worry, it's all over now.“ She looked around. „Where is your dog?“

„I don't know... he's a little coward. Maybe he ran away into one of the buildings.“ The girl's eyes filled with tears again.

„Don't cry, young lady. I'll help you to find your dog and than we'll bring you back safely to your home.“ Eren reached out her hand. „I'm Eren. What's your name?“

The girl took the hand and let herself been lifted up.

„I'm Hitch.“ she said.

„Nice to meet you, Hitch.“ Eren smiled at her, wanting to ease her as much as she could.

Trying to take a step forwards, the girl stumbled, but Eren caught hold of her. Hitch wrapped her arms around her, and before Eren knew what happend she felt a sharp pain at her neck.

„Ouch!“ she winced as her hand flinched to the hurting area. „What the hell...?!“

Hitch's face changed from the desperate sobbing expression to a sneaky grin. She pulled out a injection of Eren's neck and threw the needle to the ground.

„Thank you.“ her voice dripped with derision. „It's a pleasure for me as well, Miss Yeager.“

Eren stared at her with widened eyes, trying to sum up the situation. Her vision began to blurr, and her head slowly filled with a fine white fog.

Before she could reach for her gun, Hitch grabbed the weapon and stored it away. Then she snapped her fingers.

„Balto, it's done. You can come out now.“

An overweight middle-aged man with a bald patch and a priggish smile on his bulging lips stepped out of the darkness and approached them. Eren supported herself against the wall as she began to feel dizzy. An overwhelming tiredness swept over her, but she forced herself to fight against it. Her mind didn't work properly and she was not able to think straigth anymore. She was just led by her instincts as she began to stumble forwards, just wanting to get away.

_Stay awake. Run away._

Far away at the edge of her focus Eren could hear a rustling noice. She didn't know if she imagined it, but she had the feeling someone would call her. Her mind couldn't decode Jeans voice in her earpiece anymore. A strong grip pulled Eren back and pushed her against the wall.

„There, there, little Miss, where are you going?“ the big man snickered. „We're not done here yet!“

Hitch's face appeared in Eren's field of vision. „So that's famous Special Agent Yeager? I'm disappointed. I thought it would be more challenging to trick her.“ The girl crunched her nose. „And she's skinny. Don't know why he'd be so fond of her.“

Eren couldn't get what they were talking about. The fog in her head got heavier, and she had problems to hold herself up anymore. Her knees where shaking and she staggered.

„I don't care whether she's skinny or not.“ The man's face came closer to Eren's, and she could smell a disgusting wave of alcohol that made her almost puke. „Hey Hitch, do you think we have some time left so that I can have a little fun with her? Just imagine his face when he'd found out.“

The girl let out a sardonic laughter and rolled her eyes. „You're such a perv, Balto. Whatever, I don't care. Just make sure to bring her alive to the boss later.“ She put her hands into her jacket as she wandered away. „I'm bored as hell anyways by this.“

Balto licked his lips and began to rip on the buckles of Eren's protective vest.

_No._

The tiredness became stronger, but Eren didn't allow herself to rest. She pulled his hands away, tried to kick him in the nuts. Her legs were to weak to be of use, so she focused on pushing the man away, but it kept getting harder and harder to move her numb limbs.

_Fight. You have to fight!_

It was the only thought that came to her spacey mind anymore.

She struggled against his heavy body as much as she could, but her consciousness began to sweep away. Balto seemed to be unaffected by her resistance and snickered again.

„There's no point in wasting your energy, you -“

„Miss Yeager?“ Levi's sharp voice behind them tore her out of the beginning blackout.

Eren's gaze flickered to the dark shilhouette of the man standing in the blind alley, wrists clenched and legs apart.In her befogged mind she couldn't help but see him as a predator, ready to snatch his prey. Her eyes met with this ice-grey orbs that were staring at her. Eren didn't even ponder why the mafia leader was still here at the area, all she felt was a strange relieve to see his familiar face.

Balto stopped in surprisment, and Eren took the chance to free herself from his grip and stumbled forwards, away from the half-bald headed man. Her legs were shaking and she wasn't able to take one step anymore.

Darkness settled down in her mind, and she knew she wouldn't keep up any longer.

„Levi...please...help-“ Eren whispered with last power.

Then her world descended into blackness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Seriously, you have no idea how much I'm looking forward to the next chapter. This is gonna be SO much fun!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was it really a good idea to ask Levi for help?  
> Or will the mafia leader take advantage of the situation?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gah, I really hope you'll like this, 'cause it was so much fun to write for me.  
> Though this fic is supposed to be fluff in general, this chapter starts with some violence - so if you are triggered by this, feel free to skip the first passage and start reading after the first cut!  
> And I wanted to portray Levi a bit more intimidating here, because this is a mafia au and we're talking about Levi... but don't worry, he's still the charming asshole that will chase after Eren. (*◕‿◕*)

„Levi...please...help-“

He could barely hear Eren's whispering voice, but even without her words he would have acted without a second thought. As her body slumped down, Levi reached forward to catch the woman. The unconscious agent fell into his arms, her limbs heavy. He quickly checked if she was still breathing and was relieved to find her respiration normal. Levi sat Eren down gently, her back resting against the wall. He stood up and focused his gaze at the man in front of him. The expression of the mafia leader was a rigid mask, his merciless eyes darting into the worthless swine he would annihilate soon.

Balto's eyes opened wide and in horror as he stared at him.

„Mikasa.“ Levi's sharp voice broke the surreal silence that had alighted on the scene.

Out of nowhere the ravenhaired woman stepped into the dusky moonlight, right beside her boss. Her bluish grey eyes flickered from Eren's unconscious body to the sweatening fat man.

„Yes.“ she replied as she sent Balto a deathful glare.

„Bring Special Agent Yeager to the car.“ Levi ordered. „Wait there till I follow. First I'll have a little talk with this filthy pig here.“

Mikasa growled. Her boss could clearly see that she also would like to participate in this 'little talk' to take revenge for Eren, but he needed her to remove the woman to a safe place. Levi gave Mikasa a look that showed the finality of his order, and evantually she nodded. Mikasa did what she was told, lifting up Eren carefully and flicking the body over her shoulder. With a last gaze towards Balto she went away, considerate of walking cautiously to protect Eren.

After he saw that the brunette woman was taken care of, Levi turned his attention towards the man in front of him once more. Balto took a step backwards, just to crash into the wall behind him. His sweaty hands pressed against the mural, looking for some kind of support as his knees began to tremble. He knew exactly who he had ahead of him. Of course he had heard all the storys about Levi, about the way he treated his enemys. And although Balto was not that bright, he knew by looking at the shorter man's face that he just had climbed on top of his enemy-list.

„So, you're one of those shitheads from the Titans, aren't you.“ the mafia leader stated as he stepped forwards.

The deadly flash in his ice-grey eyes told Balto what awaited him. He couldn't move, the fear made him stop dead in his tracks. Levi grabbed the man by the collar.

„You have to be nuts doing something like this in my city.“ he growled as he shoved him against the wall.

Finally Balto found the courage to reach at his waistbelt to pull out his gun, but the mafia leader was faster. He disarmed the big man with no effort and threw the weapon away carelessly. The punch in the stomach that followed elicated a painful yelp from Balto.

Levi took the man's head and slammed it hard against the bricks. Balto began to whimper, struggled against the strong grip, but it was simply impossible for him to free himself.

„What is it, asshole?“ Levi kicked his knee into Balto's crotch.The pain caused the man to slump down to the ground.

„What do you think will happen to you now?“ Levi said staring down at his victim. „Do you think you can escape?“

The devilish glare in the ravenhaired's look made it clear to Balto that he had not much time left. Either he would fight or he would die right here and right now. He whipped out a switchblade to defend himself, regardless of the fear of what would happen if he failed. He tried to jump on his feet and stab Levi at the same time.

The mafia leader let out a sardonic chuckle as he watched the awkward attempt to attack him. With one gracefull kick at the man's hand he forced him to release the dagger. Balto whined as he held his squashed fingers. Meanwhile Levi bend down to pick up the switchblade.

„Oh, what a nice little thing you have here.“ He examined the long sharp knife. „Actually I wanted to kill you with my bare hands, but if you bring this up already, I might use it as well...“ Levi said thoughtfully as he let his fingers trail sensually along the blade. The moonlight reflected in the cold metal, and the mafia leader looked at his enemy with an almost stoic expression. Just his widely opened eyes revealed some sort of emotions.

„So, it's time for your last confessions, isn't it?“ Levi grabbed the man by his collar again, lifting him up so that his feet dangled in the air. „Did you find it fun to corner an uninvolved woman?“ He asked in an almost soft voice as he positioned the dagger at the fat stomach.

Balto let out a incomprehensible whimper as tears of fear welled up in his eyes.

„Right now, I'm having fun ...“ Levi whispered before he lunged out to eradicate the pig in front of him.

 

\---

 

A few minutes later Levi reached the black mercedes where Mikasa and Petra already awaited him. His team had split into two groups for their escape; it was always safer to divide when they were driving back home. If any of their numerous enemys would attack them, at least some of their members would make it safe to headquarteres. This time he would head back with the two women. Well, and apparantly with their new guest, too.

When he approached the car, he already heard his two team members. They stood next to the car to wait for him, but they were to engaged in arguing to notice his appearance.

„ … I don't see the point in rescuing her, it's not our business!“ Petra hissed.

She received a livid glare from Mikasa. „I won't leave her behind, unconscious and defensless like that!“ the black haired woman shot back heatedly.

„Well we can still hand her back to the Scouting Legion!“ Petra insisted.

„No we can't.“ Levi intervened.

The amber-haired woman flinched at his unexpected presence. Looking at his bloodsplattered face and clothes, she quickly handed him a handkerchief and a clean white shirt. She always kept these things handy at missions, knowing too well about Levi's deep disgust for dirt and stranger's blood. The man took the things gratefully and began to wipe himself clean.

„We can't just show up in front of them with their unconscious squad leader while they're still fucking searching for us.“ he said and stripped of his soiled shirt, before he quickly slipped into the new one. „Besides, I am not sure if she is safe there for now. Who knows if these dickheads of Titans also have their spys in the agency.“ The man wiped his hands clean and sighed at the relief of getting this nasty filth off his body.

„ ... You're not insisting to take her with us, are you?“ Petra gawked at him. „Levi, that's crazy, she's our enemy! You're not thinking straight anymore! Why are you making a fuss about this woman, did you and her -“

„I don't remember asking for your opinion in this case, Petra.“ the mafia leader interrupted in a harsh tone. „You know yourself that it would be unfavourable for us if the fuckers of Titans had a hold over the Scouting Legion by taking Agent Yeager as a hostage.“

He sent her an apodictic glare and opened the car door to find Eren sprawled over the back seat of his mercedes. Her face looked pale in the dim light, the brunette hair was tousled. But at least there was no blood splattered on her police uniform, except for a few cracks it seemed to be spotless.

„How is she?“ Levi directed his question towards Mikasa.

The japanese woman looked worried. „As you can see she's still unconscious, but I think besides of that she's allright. This bastard seem to have drugged her to do whatever to her.“ Mikasa gritted her teeth at this thought. It lasted just a few seconds before she cleared her face to her usual unreadable mask. „And I informed our member in the agency that we're taking her with us. But we should be careful to avoid every percussion, we don't know about potential inner wounds.“ she continued.

Levi nodded in agreement. „Okay, Petra, you'll drive us home. Let's head back before these rats return.“ he ordered.

The mafia leader carefully lifted Eren's upper body to clear enough space for himself to sit. He slipped into his seat, placing himself into the corner and pulling the brunette closer to him. Levi wrapped his arms around her from behind so that her back was resting against his chest, while he hold her tight in his embracement. He tried to provide her body as much support as he could to cushion potential bumps.

As the car finally began to move, Levi started to relax. The concern about his squad and evantually also about a certain agent had pressed on his shoulders, and he was relieved that they could head home now. And although he had no regrets in killing the fucking wanker of a Titan before, he felt exhausted every time after snuffing out someones life. But this bastard had needed a lecture after he intruded Levi's affairs. Fuck it if he would let the titan organisation gain impact in _his_ territory again.

Especially not by harming Miss Yeager. The mere thought of this filthy pig all over her body made Levi sick.

He took a deep breath to calm his nerves and withal inhaled Eren's scent. His lips curled into a small smile. Smelling this sweet and somehow fruity fragrance reminded him of their last encounter in his nightclub. Her angry face when he had caught her was worth the effort of his little flower-trick. He just found it endearing to tease her to the point she would lose her temper. Levi couldn't think of a more fascinating sight than these turquoise eyes sparkling with determination and temper.

Eren was so different from the other women he knew. Sure, he had some strong and skilled female fighters in his organisation, but that was another thing. They were his comrades and subordinates and would follow him to death. But Eren radiated an aura saying that nobody could tame her, and that was the trait of her that Levi was attracted most to. To be honest he had been fooled by her cute and innocent appearance at first, by the big almond-shaped eyes, thinking that she would be just another one of this countless newbies that tried their luck to catch a big fish of the underground scene, to climb up the greasy pole. But soon Levi had to admit that Eren was the only one that ever got so close to him, and more important she was not intimidated by him. She even had the balls to fight and overpower him.

This woman was dangerous to him, and Levi simply loved dangerous things.

After he escaped the first time, he began to follow Eren's appearances in the media and shortly later monitored her through his spys in the agency. The stories Levi had heard about her never failed to amuse him, and soon the woman had piqued his interest.

He was just released that he had came in the right time, before worse things could have happened. Levi abstractedly placed his hand on Eren's forehead to check if her skin felt feaverish. She felt a bit hot, but the man had noticed before that her body always seemed to be warmer than the ones of average people, so he was not too worried about it. Levi chuckled as he noticed her brows furrowing at the sensation of his palm, creating a slightly angry facial expression. Eren let out a inarticulately murmur and twisted a bit in his strong embrace.

„Stop struggling, sweetheart.“ Levi whispered as he stroked her hair gently. „You're safe now.“

 

\---

 

Eren's head felt like it was about to explode.

She slowly opened her eyes, just to be confused about the light green ceiling above her. That sight didn't seem familiar. And she also didn't know the plain but clean white bed she was lying in.

Where the hell was she?

The woman tried to sit up and groaned at the pressure she felt lasting on her whole body. Rubbing her forehead she slowly regained consciousness.

„So, sleeping beauty did finally awake?“

Eren flinched as the familiar deep voice vibrated in her ears. She looked up and felt her blood curdling as she noticed Levi himself leaning nonchaltantly against a wall at the other end of the room. He was wearing a white shirt and black trousers, a jacket in the same colour was thrown loosely around his shoulders. The man lowered the book in his hand as he gave her a small smirk.

„Too bad, I just considered playing Prince Charming to wake you up.“

Eren's still spacey mind couldn't catch up entirely with his comment, but she didn't care about that. Her enemy number one was right in front of her, there was only one important thing : catch him. She reacted on reflex as she growled and jerked forwards to attack Levi, regardless of the dizziness in her head. To her surprise she was pulled back abruptly.

„What the....“ Eren gasped as she looked down to see heavy iron chains around both of her wrists. „Why the hell am I chained?!“ she outraged.

Levi didn't even try to hide his chuckle.

_Bastard._

„You are chained because otherwise you would have fucking jumped me right now.“ he said, still snickering. „And though I found this idea very entertaining, we thought that wouldn't do your health any good.“

The feeling of being trapped began to leak into her consciousness. If there was one thing she hated more than arrogant criminals, it was the deprivation of her own freedom. It was her goddamm birth right to be free, and she wouldn't let it be taken away by a fucking mafia leader. Especially not by Levi.

„Unchain me!“ she demanded, trying to keep herself level-headed.

„Later, maybe.“ Levi seemed to muse. „If I come to the conclusion you behaved well enough.“ he couldn't hold back a grin as he saw Eren gritting her teeth at his words.

She yanked at the chains once again and cursed as they still held her in place. She was tied to this bed, snared in a small dusky room.

She looked around to examine her surrounding as exactly as possible. She'd need to gather all information that she could get, maybe it'll help her to escape later. The walls were painted in a dark green, the plaster already exfoliating. The room was barely furnished, just a bed, a table with two chairs and a shelf were situated on the rare space. Eren could recognise two doors, one wooden and old, and one seemed to be newer and made of iron. A small window right under the ceiling was the only source of light.

She frowned as she noticed the bars in front of it. She was captured in a goddamn cell.

Levi had followed her gaze. „Sorry that I can't afford you a fucking hilton room or shit. Normally I would have brought you to my swanky villa, but since _somebody_ insisted to observe it I can't return there anymore.“ He looked at Eren again, his grey eyes staring into hers. „Usually this room is reserved for other kind of guests.“

Eren suppressed a shiver. She didn't want to imagine how many people had been caged in this room before, and what had happened to them. Not now. There were more important things to think about at the moment.

„Why am I here?“ Eren asked sharply. „What happened?“

Levi tilted his head to the side, examining her face. „You don't remember anything?“ he asked, a slightly curious tone in his voice.

Eren furrowed her brows at him. „What do you me-“

She stopped as the images of last night flashed in her mind. Right, she had been on a mission to arrest the Wings of freedom. And they had escaped again - of course not without Levi being arrogant and stupid as always - and she and her team had searched for evidences. But what happened then...?

It was difficult for Eren to think properly, her head was still hurting like hell. She racked her brain, and suddenly -

„Oh, right!“ she exclaimed. „There was this girl with the brown locks... She was crying and she needed help...“ Eren ran a hand through her hair as she pondered further. „And suddenly she whipped a fucking needle and injected me something ...“

„Tch, sounds like Hitch.“ Levi sounded disgusted.

Eren startled; she hadn't even notice that she had spoken these sentences out loudly.

 _I'm really getting sloppy the last weeks_ , she thought. _I should be more careful. He's a fucking mafia leader after all, who knows which cards he has up his sleeves._

But she would take the chance and try to get as much information out of Levi as possible.

„Yeah, she said her name was Hitch.“ Eren replied. „Do you know her?“

The man looked at her, his eyes and face not showing any kind of emotion. Eren tried to bear up against his glare.

_At least he isn't fucking smirking._

She already thought she would get no response, but then eventually he nodded. „That sneaky bitch is a member of the Titans. Known for her scheming character.“

The suspicion that this underground gang was also involved in the incident had already appeared to Eren, but she still was surprised. „So this Balto-guy was also one of them?“ she muttered to herself.

„You mean this obnoxious dipstick? Probably.“ Levi put down the book in his hands rather harsh at the table beside him and crossed his arms.

Suddenly a thought came to Eren's mind. „Hey, right! You were there too! What did you have to do there?“

She tried to catch every possible change of his expression, but as expected there was none. Just stormy grey eyes staring at her.

„ … Business.“ he stated flatly.

Eren huffed, annoyed that she wouldn't get any more answers concerning this topic at the moment. Levi's lips turned into a small smirk as he watched her.

The woman decided to give it one more try. „What happened to Balto?“ she asked.

The smile on his lips vanished immadietly, and back was the stoic mask.

 _Oh, I hit a mark._ Eren thought exited.

„I heard he was found dead at the harbour.“ Levi said casually, as if he was talking about the weather.

The look on his face was stoical as always, but Eren could suddenly feel a dark intimidating aura surrounding him. Right, she should never forget that she had a merciless criminal in front of her.

„Did you kill him...?“ she rasped out.

Damn, why was her voice so hoarse? Levi brushed away some invisible dust particles off his shoulders and pretended to look through the small window under the ceiling. „The area there is dark and dangerous at night, you know. _Accidents_ do happen.“

Somehow the detached sound of his voice alarmed Eren. A cold shiver ran down her back.

„Did you kill him, Levi?“ she repeated, this time with a more sharp voice.

His head snapped back to the woman, fixating her. A threatening glint flashed in his eyes. „What, do you feel pity for him?“ he spat out. „After this pig touched you with his filthy hands?“

Eren almost backed off at his intimidating expression, but fuck it, she was not the one to cave in.

„No, but I'd rather decided myself what should have happened to him!“ she snarled back. „If somebody tries to rape me, I'd gladly cut of his dick on my own!“

Although she was a special agent, defending the law, there were some few things that she couldn't stand, so much that she would take the law in her own hands. Rape was one of those things. She hated those unworthy monsters who pretended to be human, and then went out and did such awful things to others. Since her dear cousin Historia, a dancer in a striptease-bar, was violated by a besotted customer, Eren couldn't stand the existence of those criminals anymore. Historia had never been the same again since this day, and although her girlfriend Ymir protected her like a snappy guarddog, she didn't feel safe anymore, regardless where she was going.

Probably Eren also would have killed Balto, but like she said, she wanted it to be _her_ decision.

The answer seemed to surprise Levi, and he was dumbstruck for a few moments. He thought about it, and finally his tense expression softened.

„I see.“ he drawled of thoughtfully. „Didn't think of it this way ...“ Levi sighed and put off the jacket, folded it neatly with an almost military precision and put it next to the book.

Eren was very busy trying not to notice how the rolled up sleeves of his shirt showed his ripped forearms, how the dimly light emphasised the muscular lines on the pale skin. Levi looked up again and caught Eren's not-so-secret gaze and the teasing expression came back to his face.

 _Oh, fuck_.

„How do you feel now, sweetheart?“ he asked and sauntered closer. „Do you have a headache?“

Eren groaned. Slowly but surely she had enough of this stupid pet name. „Really, cut it off with this sweetheart-crap, I swear I'll rip you apart once I get rid of this fucking chains.“ she exclaimed before she could think about it any further.

_Smooth, Eren. Now he surely is tempted to let you free and stop the sweetheart-shit._

The agent slapped herself internally as she saw Levi's eyes shining up in amusement. This was not a good sign.

„Oh? I didn't know that you don't like it, you should have said something.“ he smirked. Eren gritted her teeth and tried to keep her temper. „How do you want me to call you then?“ the man purred with a suggestive undertone as he sat down on the edge of Eren's bed. „Darling? Honey? _Babe_?“

The woman gulped. The sudden proximity between them didn't fail to make her nervous. She was painfully aware of his body, of the way his weight pushed into the mattress and caused her to slide into his direction. Levi was way to close now, she could ran her hand trugh this silky hair if she would reach out now-

Quickly she shook of this thought.It would be better to focuse on the anger she felt because of him. Anger was a more familiar feeling to her than attraction. A feeling she could deal with.

„What about calling me Special Agent Yeager. Most of the people are capable of doing this, you know.“ Eren muttered.

„Well, but most of the people don't save you from fucking shitty underground gangs.“ he retorted. „I think I deserved it to use a special pet name for you now.“

Her eyes widened in horror as the rest of last night's memory smacked her right across the face.

Oh no.

It was not just the pure fact that Levi had saved her, which was humiliating enough. She, Eren Yeager, the idealistic and straight forward agent, had _asked_ this criminal bastard for help. What devil in hell had led her to do such a stupidy? How did she even get the idea that this was the right thing to do? Great, now she was in Levi's fucking debt. What should she do now? Did he expect her to accommodate him something? Of course he did, he was a fucking mafia leader. This was how things went in the underground, wasn't it?

„If you think I will stop hunting you or let you escape just because of this, you're wrong!“ Eren blurted out, a hint of panic in her voice.

_Yeah, you're really acting like a pro today, Special Agent._

Levi noticed her inner struggle and chuckled. „Don't worry, I don't expect anything in return from you.“ he said and shifted his position, his eyes still fixating her.

Eren had no idea how, but he managed it to sit even closer now. She could feel the heat radiating from his body, she could see the almost invisible little crinkles on his pale skin. Eren tried to gather all of her concentration to not look like a timid fawn at him.

„But … why did you rescue me then?“ she asked with a hoarse voice.

Dammit, what was so exiting about his eyes that she couldn't look away, was he some kind of hypnotist? Levi leaned closer to her and brushed an untamable bang out of her face. The touch of his fingers left a burning feeling behind on her skin.

„How could I resist you asking me for help, _Eren_?“ he murmured huskily.

Her breath caught. The way her name sounded from his lips, the way his tongue was rolling every single letter in a seducing manner, promising, tempting; it was somehow far more intimate than every pet name he could have given her. Levi's fingers still layed on her face, cupping her cheek. Eren's pulse quickened, her heart pounded hard in her chest.

She really should push him off now, it was not good to be this close to your enemy. Yeah, that would be the best, to kick him off and punch him in the face for his sassy behaviour. But she just couldn't. All Eren could do was to stare at his mouth, to wonder what it would feel like to be even closer to him, to taste him, savor the feeling of these pale pink lips.

Levi leaned closer, she could feel his warm breath on the heated skin of her face now. She unconsciously parted her lips, looking at him with half-lidded eyes, waiting for him to-

The sudden burst of the door in the next moment made them both flinch.

A dangerously glaring Mikasa entered the room. Apparantly she had kicked in the door, because both of her hands were occupied carrying a tray with food.

„Shit!“ Levi muttered to himself, scarcly audible beneath Eren.

The brunette herself just couldn't speak or move. Or react in any other proper manner.

„Levi, what is going on here?“ Mikasa asked as she came in, suspicion resonating in her voice.

The man returned to his stoic face, but Eren could almost feel how pissed he was. „I'm just making sure Eren is okay.“ he replied dryly.

The ravenhaired woman plonked down the tray on the table, so hard that she spilled some water on it.

„How kind of you.“ she narrowed her eyes at Levi, making it clear that she didn't believe one single word. „Now let her rest and leave her some space, she sure is still tired and confused from the drugs.“

Yes, confused was the right description. Eren's head was spinning around, her stomach curling into countless knots. What the fuck had just happened? Or rather, what had almost happened? She just couldn't believe that she had been on the very verge of kissing her deadly enemy. What the hell had been in this injection that she was acting like a complete idiot now?

It must have been the drugs. There was no other explanation that one part of her felt slightly disappointed at the fact that Mikasa had saved her from making the biggest mistake of her live.

„Erd is waiting for you downstairs. He has to report something.“ the japanese sent Levi a stern gaze.

He sighed as he stood up. „Whatever you say, Mikasa.“

The woman nodded and turned to her former squad leader. „How do you feel today, Eren?“ she asked softly. „Do you think you'll be ready tomorrow?“

„Ready for what?“ Eren asked confused. A feeling of panic rushed through her as she was wondering what Mikasa could have meant. Who knew what cruel tricks the Mafia would use to torture their enemy?

Strangely enough, her answer seemed to disgruntle Mikasa.

„Levi.“ the ravenhaired woman snapped.

The addressed man continued walking towards the table, as if he hadn't heard her. Mikasa sticked to her guns.

„You didn't tell her already?“ she questioned sharply.

Levi rolled his eyes. „I was about to do so.“

The japanese snorted incredulously. „Yeah, I saw it.“

Eren furrowed her brows. What was going on here, did she miss something? How could it be that a subordinate talked to her mafia boss in this way without getting beheaded?

„Eren,“ Mikasa's voice was gentle like she would talk to a scared kid. „Once you gained your powers again and retired, we'll bring you back home. _Don't we, Levi_?“ She hissed the last words over the shoulder to him.

„Yeah, yeah, we do.“ he muttered with an annoyed undertone as he slipped into his jacket again.

Levi walked to the door and placed his hand on the knob. „Oh, right.“ he said and turned around to look at Eren one last time. „I brought you a book in case you get bored, sweetheart.“ he smirked as he pointed towards the table before he walked out.

Finally he closed the door behind him, and Mikasa sighed. „I'm sorry that I am late, I had a job to do.“ she explained and brought the tray to Eren's bed.

The brunette's eyes widened at the delicious looking plate with bread, cheese and fruits. Also a glass of water and a cup of tea were situated on the tray. Eren's stomach grumbled, but she didn't want to gorge herself on. There was no proof that this food was actually eatable, who knows which sick tricks the mafia could come up with.

„Did he annoy you again?“ Mikasa asked.

Eren was too distracted by staring at the food. „Not more than usual.“ she murmured. Damn, this cheese smelled aromatic.

Mikasa noticed the way Eren eyed the plate. She sighed. „I wish he would behave better. Normally he is able to contain himself, but when you're around he acts like ...“

„Like a complete asshole?“ Eren glanced up.

Mikasa smiled gently at her words. „Here, eat something.“ she encouraged the brunette. „Don't worry, it's not drugged. See, I'll also eat it.“ She cut a slice of the cheese and ate it.

Watching Mikasa eat in front of her, Eren couldn't hold back anymore. She stuffed the bread and the cheese in her mouth and chewed it with relish. Her last meal had been the soup she had cooked together with Sasha, and she couldn't even state how long time ago this was. After a few minutes of munching Eren reminded herself that she was not there to stuff herself. She should collect as much information as possible, maybe she could use them later. She decided to not pussyfoot around the bush, but be bluntly. Mikasa was not the woman for gossiping around.

„Mikasa,“ Eren said cautiously. „Why was Levi still there after you all escaped?“

The ravenhaired just looked at her, face not reveiling any kind of information. Ok, if she also didn't want to talk about this, Eren would have to play a bit dirty. She was not fond of the idea of manipulating the woman, because although Mikasa had betrayed her, Eren still liked her. But it can't be helped; she would have to play the guilt-card.

„Mikasa.“ Eren spoke gently. „Last night I experienced some really weird shit. And then I wake up and discover that I'm imprisoned by my nemesis. Don't you think that at least I deserved to know the truth?“

She could see the change in Mikasa's eyes, the woman looked down and sighed. „Ok,“ the gang member admitted. „I guess you're right.“

Eren was actually surprised how good this had worked out, but she wouldn't complain.

„So we were about heading back after we all gathered again,“ Mikasa explained, „but then we got a call that you disappeared. You were out of sight for your comrades and you also didn't report back, so they got worried.“ She sighed again. „And we too; we knew we had to search for you. And I'm glad Levi and me found you at the right time. We brought you here and let a physician examine you, and gave you some minerals and vitamines to patch you up. Seeing you this powerless and unconscious alarmed me to no end. I'm glad that you're feeling better now.“

There it was again, this weird protective behaviour of Mikasa. Ok, maybe Eren shouldn't complain as they really had saved her ass, but it still felt strange.

„But who informed you that I had disappeared?“ she asked.

The ravenhaired woman bit down her lip, keeping herself from telling to much.

„Mikasa, I know that there is another spy in the agency.“ Eren pried. „Who is it?“

„I'm sorry, I really can't tell you.“

Eren huffed disappoitned. She hadn't expected to get the answer that easily, but it had been worth a try. „Okay,“ she continued. „but why did you even search for me? I mean, it was none of your business.“

Mikasa blinked in surprise. „Petra said the same, but...“

„You mean insane hazelnut?“ the agent muttered.

„She's not insane, Eren.“

„Are you sure? 'Cause everytime I see her she looks like she'd eat me alive.“

Mikasa sighed. „It's because she's frightened that you hurt Levi or take him away from us.“ she explained. „Normally Petra is a sweet and caring person, but when it comes to him she gets super-protective. It's a bit annoying sometimes.“

 _Superprotective, huh? That sounds familiar._ Eren almost laughed at the fact that Mikasa describes her very own behaviour as 'annoying' when it came to others.

But instead of laughing she repeated her question from before. „So, why did you care about me? I'm your enemy.“

Mikasa looked at her with a expression on her face that Eren couldn't read. „I can't tell you. You should ask Levi about that.“ she replied.

„Oh great, another chit-chat with the bloody mafia leader.“

„Eren,“ Mikasa sighed once again. „I wish you'd know Levi the way I do. He may appear cold and arrogant - to be honest, I didn't like him at first, too - but he's actually not a bad guy.“ She picked a grape from Eren's long forgotten plate and chewed it thoughtfully. „You know, he cares for the one he loves, besides he has a great sense of justice. I know it's hard to believe for you, but Levi has a decent personality.“

Eren snorted. „Yeah, you're right, it _is_ really hard to believe.“ Another question popped up in her head. „But why do you work for him anyway?“ she asked and looked Mikasa in the eyes. „You don't seem to be the typical moll to me. Does he force you to do this?“ She took the woman's hands in her own as she spoke. „If you need help to escape the organised criminality, you can always come to me, Mikasa!“

She got a smile and a gently squeezing in reply. „That's nice of you, Eren, but that's not the reason. I follow him of my own free will.“ she assured.

Disappointment flew through the brunette as she released Mikasa's fingers. It would have been to good to win Levi's right hand woman over to her own side.

„Allright,“ she sighed and took a sip of the waterglass. „But why do you do this?“

Again Mikasa gave her this odd look, seeming to think about how much she could reveal.

„Well basically because he's my brother.“

„What the hell!“ Eren coughed as she choked some water. „ _Are you fucking kidding me?_ You two are siblings?!“

Mikasa chuckled slightly while she patted the Eren's back. She waited till the woman recovered herself before she continued talking.

„Well, not biologically. But we were raised together by the same man.“ she explained. „Captain Ackerman was not our father, more some sort of trainer. I used to live on the streets of this city after my parents had died. I was about 8 when I met him, and Ackerman took care of me. Levi was already with him, I heard they were fleeing from some things that had happened somewhere onshore.“ Mikasa paused to look at Eren. The anxious and genuine interested expression of the agent's face encouraged her to tell more. „Our childhood was pretty fucked up, Eren. We had no good time back then, instead we had to do a lot of sick stuff. When Levi got older, he began to question the cruel methods of our trainer. He didn't want to be part of this system anymore. When I was 13, Levi took me and we ran away together.“ Mikasa smiled nostalgically. „It was a rough time, but somehow we made it and now we are at this point, ruling the city according to our wishes.“

Eren had listened this explanation in astonishment. „That's... that's really surprising.“ she said dumbfounded.

In a weird way this all made sense to her. It explained why both of them had a similar intimidating aura, and why Mikasa was able to scold her boss the way she did a few minutes ago. But part of her still wouldn't want to believe that Mikasa - the woman she somehow liked despite her beeing a criminal - was related to this arrogant asshole of a mafia leader.

The ravenhaired woman nodded sympatheticly. „It may seem so.“ she said. „But like I said, Levi is not a bad guy. He hates unrightenouesness.“

„He runs a fucking mafia, Mikasa.“ Eren rolled her eyes. The japanese woman seemed to have a thing for putting a slant on reality.

„I know it sounds strange.“ Mikasa admitted. „But think about the fact that he put himself and us into real danger just to save you. And he won't kill you or keep you hostage, even if you work against us.“ She sent Eren a stern look. „You should not take this for granted.“

The brunette huffed again, but a faint little voice inside her told her that Mikasa had a point. Though she hated to admit it, but she should be thankful that Levi had been there to save her.

„ ... Maybe.“ she muttered reluctantly.

Mikasa smiled at Eren's stubborn behaviour and began to clear away the left-overs of the food. The agent looked up, a slightly pink flush on her cheeks.

„Uhm, Mikasa...“

The ravenhaired woman turned around. „What is it, Eren?“

„I-I have to pee.“ the brunette said quietly. „Pretty badly, acutally.“

„Oh, right. The bathroom is right over here“ Mikasa pointed at the wooden door across the room.

Eren sighed. „It's difficult to walk with these chains tieing me to this bed, you know.“ She sent Mikasa a hopefull look. „Could you please take them off?“

Mikasa stood there, chewing on her bottom lip, considerating what she should do.

„Please, Mikasa, I beg you!“ Eren implored with wide green eyes. „I just can't stand being chained! I promise you, I will not sneak around or destroy this fucking cell!“

As the ravenhaired shook her head, Eren's heart almost dropped.

 _Oh no, she's not doing it. She's leaving me alone with this goddamm bonds here._ she thought, bitterness filling her mind in anticipation of the reject.

„That's not it,“ Instead of leaving Mikasa walked over to Eren, getting out a black old key, „we chained you so you can not walk around and maybe collapse because of the drugs in your metabolism. But I think most of it's gone now, so you should be safe.“ she said as she unlocked the chains.

Eren heaved a sigh of relieve as she massaged her wrists.

Mikasa went over to the iron door and wished Eren a good night. The woman hadn't even noticed that it had gotten darker outside, she had no sense of time left.

Just one more night in here and she would be free again.

„But Eren,“ Mikasa said before she got out completely. „promise me you'll stay in bed after going to the bathroom, ok? And don't attack Levi when he comes back tomorrow.“

The agent didn't answer, just sent her an incredulously gaze.

„Eren, you have to promise me! I don't want him to question the decision to give me the task to supervise you.“ Mikasa insisted. „I'll trust you on this!“

„Fine, I'll behave.“ Eren rolled her eyes. She felt like a kid scolded by it's mother, but she would have to play along with Mikasa's rules to gain a bit more freedom. And it all was better than being directly under Levi's supervision.

With a last urgent look at her Mikasa closed and locked the door behind her.

Eren took a deep breath, reached her legs out of the bed and shifted her weight on her feet while standing up. She wanted to take a step forward, but instead she slumped down on the bed again. Fighting against the dizziness in her head, Eren closed her yes. Maybe she really should be careful with the rest of drugs in her body. But she also had to use the bathroom, pretty urgent. Besides, she wouldn't lay here and twiddle her thumps to wait and see if Levi would keep his promise to let her go tomorrow.

After some minutes of rest she felt strong enough to give it another try. She stood up and stumbled towards the bathroom, pushing the door to the small room open. Eren crunched her nose at the sight of the old toilet, the plain sink and broken shower. The whole room was tiled in a yellow-green. Seriously, who would put in tiles with such a disgusting colour? Eren didn't want to know how old this room was - referring to the architecture very, very old - but at least it was all tidy and spotless clean.

She reliefed her bladder, washed hands and began to look around for a possible exit. The small bathroom seemed to be out of question as there was no window or second door. Coming back to her cellroom she scanned the dark green walls for a secret entrance and was not surprised to find none. Eren examined the heavy iron door, but there was no possibility to open it without the fitting key. Maybe she could have cracked the lock with special tools, but right now she just had a bunch of hair pins which weren't very useful. Last but not least, Eren climbed on one of the chairs to rattle at the bars of the window, but like she thought, there was no chance. The cell may seemed old and ugly, but unfortunately it fulfilled it's function perfectly.

Eren huffed annoyed as she had to admit that there was no other way than waiting till the next morning, hoping for the merci of the mafia leader.

What a shitty situation.

 _But it could have been worse_. A little voice whispered inside her head. _You also could have been captured by the Titans, who knows what would have happened then_.

Maybe Mikasa was right and she should have been more grateful that Levi had rescued her. He might be arrogant, criminal and smugly, but he indeed wasn't the merciless and cold-hearted killer Eren had heard so many storys about.

Maybe, just _maybe_ , he really had a side on him that wasn't a complete asshole.

Eren sighed and took the book that Levi had left on the table. If she had nothing to do she could read a bit and distract herself as well. She sat down and examined the red old binding of the book. „The Godfather“ was printed on the cover in big golden letters. Eren furrowed her brows. What the hell was that supposed to mean again? She opened the first page, and a small note dropped down from it. She caught the slip of paper and read the notice Levi had left inside.

 

_„Since you seem to be pretty obsessed with mafia leaders, I thought this book might be interesting for you._

_Maybe you're able to learn something new from it. I could also show you one thing or two ...  
_

_Sleep well, sweetheart.“_

 

Eren stared down at the note in disbelief.

„What the fuck...“ Gritting her teeth she felt the anger boiling up again in her body.

With swung she smacked the book against the wall.

„Very funny, asshole.“


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another day at the headquarter of her enemies. Slowly but surely Eren's mind seems to get clouded.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how it came to the first part of this chapter. I had completely other plans for it, but then my hands just started typing it... Lol, I'm sorry.

_The faint squeak at the door awoke Eren._

_Startled she sat up and tried to detect the source of the noise. A heavy darkness dominated the cell, and her eyes needed a few moments to adjust to it. The dim moonlight shone a ray of light at the intruder. A clicking noise told her that they had locked the door, before the black silhouette sauntered closer with swinging hips._

_„Who is there?“ Eren called into the blackness._

_Her fists clenched as she crumbled the blanket beneath her. Her heart pounded hard in her chest, senses went on full speed. The dark shadow stepped close, closer, and all Eren could do was stare at it. Alarm bells started ringing in her head as the figure climbed onto her bed, but she didn't find the strength to move. Piercing grey eyes shone through the darkness; beautiful and dangerous eyes that watched every of her movements and stared down at the bottom of her soul._

_„W-Why are you here?“ Eren whispered and crawled backwards._

_Levi didn't say anything, instead he slowly crouched towards her, his wolfish gaze pinned at her face. The gracefullness of his smooth movements hypnotized Eren, she wasn't able to look away. Even when he lunged forwards to grab her wrists and push her back into the mattress, she didn't find the will to fight back. Climbing on top of her, he straddled her legs and trapped her underneath him._

_„Levi,“ Eren finally could gasp „What are you doing?“_

_The heat his body radiated made her head feel dizzy and she tried hard to stay concentrated, but she drowned into the scent of aloe lotion and a mild aftershave. Eren didn't complain when Levi leaned down and his silky hair tickled her face softly. Half-lidded grey eyes captivated her gaze._

_„Don't ask a question when you already know the answer, Eren.“ Levi growled and intensified his grip. When he bent down, his mouth ghosted over her lips and caused the hairs on her neck to stand up. „You want me, and you know it.“ his breath carressed her skin, and her heart hammered in anticipation._

_She couldn't deny these words as she felt his lips pressing hungrily against her owns. The sweet taste intoxicated her whole body, and she replied to the kiss wihout hesitation. Levi's tongue swept over her teeth, explored her mouth and took her breath away. Her mind wasn't able to form any coherent thought anymore, all she felt was a prickling sensantion rushing through her venes. Eren broke her wrists free from his grip to cup his face, to run her hands through his hair. Finally she was able to tug at the black strands. It felt exactly like she had imagined it; silky and soft on the top, and a bit scratchy on the shaved part of his undercut._

_Levi bit softly down on her lower lip and nibbled it carefully, causing Eren to moan slightly. His hands wandered down her neck, tracing the line of her collar bone and ghosting playfully across the soft skin between her breasts. She sucked a breath and let her hands roam down his back, digging her nails into the pale skin. Eagerly he began to unbotton her shirt, ripping the cloth away carelessly. Still kissing wantonly, he cupped her breasts with his hands, pinching a nipple gently with his fingers. Eren couldn't help but moan into his mouth, pressing lustfully against his muscular chest._

_„Don't be impatient, Eren.“ he panted into her ear before he detached himself, just to sit up and glance down at the sight underneath him._

_„Shit, you're so beautiful.“ he groaned and lowered his head to place heated kisses on her tanned skin._

_Eren twisted at the burning feeling that spread in her whole body, and she sighed blissfully. She heard his dark chuckle, a sound that resonated in her mind. His fingers trailed down her groin and tugged at the itchy fabric of her jeans. Wrapping one of his arms around her waist, Levi began to unbotten the pants and scratched his teeth above the sensitive skin under her belly button. Desperate for more, Eren wanted to touch him, wanted to strip him off; but suddenly her hands were yanked backwards._

_Panicking, she twisted and struggled, but she was not able to break away. Levi kneeled above her, one hand gently massaging her hip while the other ran down to touch lower regions._

_„No...no!“ Eren pulled at the chains that suddenly had formed around her wrists. „Levi, what is this shit! Untie me!“_

_His face was hidden in the dark, all she could see were imperious grey eyes staring down at her._

_„I'm afraid you didn't behave well enough.“ a dark voice susurrated. „I know what you have done, sweetheart. You thought that nobody would find out, but I did.“_

_Her eyes widened and she struggled against the chains, wanted to get away, regardless of the pleasant feeling in her stomach, caused from his touches._

_„No! No!“ she repeated pointlessly._

_The piercing eyes came closer, slender fingers tugged at the necklace around her throat, causing her to cough._

_„You've been a bad girl, Eren.“ the low voice continued to murmur. „You and me, we are not so different after all.“_

 

 

„That's not true!“ Eren screamed as she sat up in bed.

Confused she looked around. She still was in the plain white sheets in the cell, but no Levi and no chains around. Putting a hand on her chest to reassure her pounding heart, she exhaled deeply.

It just had been a dream.

A fucking weird dream.

Maybe she still had drugs in her body, because why in the everliving hell would she dream about making out with Levi? And why else would she suddenly remember the day she successfully blocked out for years now?

A few minutes later she had calmed down enough to get up. The sun had already risen and send her first rays of dawn through the small barred window, creating a surreal atmosphere in the room that didn't help Eren to calm her nervs. It all happened so long ago, nobody would know. Not even Levi with his fucking spys everywhere, she told herself again and again. No need to worry.

Though, she couldn't wait to go home again, back into a familiar surrounding. This trip to her enemies headquarter strained her nerves, bringing her to the point she would have a wet nightmare about Levi. How preposterous.

She went to the bathroom and looked into the clouded mirror. Haunted green eyes stared back at her, and she crunched her nose at the tousled brown mob she called hair. This and the fact that her uniform clung on her, soaked with sweat, led her to the decision to take a quick shower in the ugly old cubicle. As the cold water dripped down her heated skin, she was able to relax and gather her thoughts again. Being here, imprisoned by her opponents, let her body run on adrenaline and surely but slowely she felt a mental exhaustion creeping down her spine. She could have showered for hours to enjoy the refreshing feeling, but Eren knew that it was better to hurry up. The last thing she wanted was Levi barging into her beeing naked and vulnerable.

While she toweled herself, the almost-kiss from the day before crossed her mind. Vigourosly Eren rubbed the rough towel over her skin. Maybe it all didn't happen in fact. Maybe the drugs confused her brain and she made these memories up. She couldn't believe that she really had waited for him to kiss her. That was just wrong in so many ways. Eren was not that kind of girl that waited passively for the guy to make the first move, if she wanted somebody, then she'd make sure to get him. Or her.

Which led to the next issue - she didn't like Levi, hell no. He might look like a fucking lingerie model - or at least she imagined him to look like this underneath his clothes - but he still was an asshole. Arrogant, sassy and did she mention criminal?

 _„You might experience some confusing feelings towards Levi.“_ Armin's voice echoed in her head. No, there were no confusing feelings. It all was a imagination from the drugs. It was not even real. If she'd forget about the situation and the dream now, it would have never happened. Being ignorant and oblivious could be a bless sometimes.

Eren stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around her body. It really was nothing. It just had been a strange situation under the influence of drugs, and as a consequence she had dreamt a weird nightmare. Nothing more.

Grabbing her shirt she wanted to dress again, but suddenly the door flew open. When she saw black hair glint int the corner of her eyes, she was led by pure instinct. She dropped the cloth in her hands and lunged forward to attack the intruder. Almost self-acting her body performed the rehearsed movements and she pushed them against the wall, pressing her forearm menacingly against their throat.

She would not hesitate to kill him.

Mildly confused blue eyes looked at her.

„Eren, is anything wrong?“ Mikasa asked concerned as she grabbed the arm on her throat and pushed it away effortlessly. She seemed to be calm and unblinking as always.

„Oh, uhm.“ Eren said baffled. „Sorry, Mikasa. I just saw black hair and I ...“ she trailed off, feeling slightly embarassed. „I'm exhausted, and it was kind of a reflex.“

She stepped back and readjusted the towel that covered her body. Mikasa seemed to understand instantly.

„It's okay, it's just me.“ the ravenhaired woman said unwaverd. She looked at Eren's concerned face. „Hey, I understand that you're stressed. Don't worry, in a few hours you'll be home again.“

Eren nodded, breathing in deeply. It was a strange feeling to be soothed by a criminal, but she just had stopped to question her weird relationship to Mikasa. When the woman had revealed her identity the first time in the factory, Eren had doubted her good intentions. But meanwhile she began to feel save in the presence of the gang member. It was strange, but not that important at the moment. She would talk to Armin about it later, maybe it was the beginning of a Stockholm syndrome or some shit like this.

Sighing, she wanted to grab her clothes again, as Mikasa stepped forward.

„No, wait, I've brought some of my old clothes. You wore this police uniform for 2 days now,“ she said, pointing at a bunch of clothes underneath her armpit. „I thought you'd appreciate something clean. You can keep it.“

Eren nodded and thanked her as she accepted the clothes. It were plain blue jeans and a white button up shirt. Simple but neat, exactly Mikasa's style.

While the ravenhaired woman walked out of the bathroom again, Eren slipped quickly into the new clothes that fitted surprisingly well. Mikasa was right; it felt much better to wear something fresh. Though it was a strange thought for Eren that she was completely covered in clothes of a gang member now. The only thing on her body that still belonged to her was the necklace she got from Hange. It might be not the good-luck-charm that the scientist had promised - considering that Eren was caught by sneaking into Levi's club, drugged by a brutal street gang and then kidnapped by her nemesis while wearing it - but she still liked it, and she wore it every day. It was a gift from one of her friends, and therefore she loved it. 

She wandered out of the bathroom into the cell again, where Mikasa already had placed a new tray with food and tea. Eren's stomach grumbled loudly at the sight, and Mikasa led out a soft laugh. The agent huffed in response, but she wasn't really mad. Somehow she was able to relax more and more in Mikasa's presence.

Brushing her hair with a comb she got from the other woman, Eren wandered through the room to stop in front of the window. While she combed the messy brown mane, she looked absent-minded out ouf the milklike glass. It had only been about one day she had spent in this cell, but she couldn't wait to get outside again.

„Excited to go home?“ Mikasa asked, amusment in her voice. Somehow she always seemed to know what was going on inside of Eren. „Well I can't blame you. Actually I also enjoyed the time at the Scouting Legion everyday. It was fun to work with all those crazy people.“

Eren snorted while she unsuccessfully tried to do her hair into the usual little bun.

„You're the one to talk, Mikasa. _Your_ gang members are pretty insane, and don't get me started with the creeper you call your boss ...“ She trailed off as she fiddled with an untamable strand of hair. „Goddammit!“ Eren muttered annoyed to herself. „Fuck this stupid shitty hair, it never does what it's supposed to do!“

„Why don't you put them under a wig again?“ a smooth deep voice interrupted her swearing. „I liked the red one on you.“

Eren whipped around to find Levi sitting casually behind her at the table, chin resting in his hand.

„Jesus fucking Christ!“ Eren cursed, almost jumping backwards. „How long have you been sitting there?!“

„Quite a while.“ Levi mused with an unwavered expression. „Guess you weren't able to hear me because of your noisy swearing.“ He looked up at her with silver-grey eyes. „So a 'creeper', eh?“

Heart still racing from the shock, Eren decided to lack a reply. Instead she interlocked her arms and eyed the man suspiciously. How in the fucking hell did he manage to sneak up without her noticing? He seemed to have some kind of extra skills that she wasn't aware of before, and she stored this information at the back of her mind.

The blatantly stare that Levi sent her made Eren uncomfortable, but she resisted the urge to look away. Never ever she would admit defeat, even if it was in a weird kind of staring contest with the mafia leader. Clenching the fingers around her arms tighter, she returned the intimidating gaze as best as she could. They eyed each other wordlessly for a few seconds, before Levi leaned back, crossing his arms. Eren could swear she had seen a satisfied glint flashing across his face, but when she blinked, his expression was austere as always.

„Mikasa, go ahead and prepare everything for today.“ Levi ordered, narrowing his eyes at Eren. „I'll take care of Agent Yeager in the meantime.“

Mikasa simply nodded and left the room, giving Eren an apologetic look. But the agent didn't notice the gesture, she was too occupied thinking about the fact that Levi had actually used the correct title to address her, for the first time ever. Did he finally come to his senses, did he realise that he'd better respect her?

„What, don't I get a good-morning-kiss?“ he asked with a completely stoic expression.

Scratch that. He was still the same old asshole.

Eren fought the urge to roll her eyes. „You'd rather get a good-morning-punch if you ask again.“

She knew it was childish, but it was hard to remain level-headed in this goddamn cell with her enemy around her the whole time. Levi smirked as he pushed the plate with food towards her. „Come, eat and drink a bit, we have an exciting day ahead.“ he said while he poured some of the hot liquid from the pot in his own mug. Eren stared at him in disbelieve.

_Is he fucking serious?_

„There's no way I'll have a little tea party with you, Levi.“

Like hell if she would eat together with him. Her appetite had been spoiled anyway, and she just wished her stomach would stop to do these annyoing flick-flacks.

„Too bad.“ the mafia leader said and took a sip of his mug. He had a really odd way to hold the cup; clutching it at the lip with his fingers, instead of holding it at the handle like everyone else. Licking his lips, he made an appreciating sound. „You should taste the black tea though;“ Levi was not affected in the least by the angry stare he received in return. „It's the best tea you can get on this godforsaken island.“

„Actually, I'm more the coffee type.“ Eren replied with gritted teeth, still not touching anything that he had offered her.

„That's like casting pearls before swines.“ The man sighed, but the smirk that tugged on his lips told her that he definitely was enjoying the situation.

Eren noticed that she had let herself been dragged into a conversation, and cursed internally.

„I'm not here to chit-chat with you either!“ She clutched the edge of the table and bent over it. „I have the feeling that you know way more about the incident at the harbour than me.“ She narrowed her eyes at Levi. „And I demand answers.“

„Oh, you _demand_ answers?“ Levi cocked a brow at her. „That's funny because I had the feeling I'd be the one with the upper hand right now.“ he stated.

For a few seconds they continued staring at each other. Again she drowned into the steel-grey colour of his glaring orbs, and her mind went blank. All she wanted to do was staring at these eyes the whole d-

No. No, Eren wouldn't make this mistake again. She didn't achieve the position of a Top Special Agent by fooling around and letting herself get distracted. Slumping down on the chair she tried to gather herself. Breathing in and out deeply, she made a decision. She would get nowhere with interrogating Levi like every normal criminal, not the way he was toying with her and constantly pressing the buttons to annoy her.

But two could play this game.

Everything inside her revolted against the idea, but she would do it. Taking in a deep breath, she lifted her gaze and looked up at him.

„Ok, I _ask_ you for it.“

 

Levi's eyes widened in astonishment. He had expected Eren to get angry, to curse and rage around, but not that. One side of him was deeply satisfied by the fact that she apparently subordinated to him. It must have been hard for a proud person like Eren to bid him for something. On the other side, he was completely aware that his gesture was everything but submition. She just remembered his statement from yesterday - _„How could I resist you asking me for help, Eren“_ \- and now used it against him.

Well played, Agent Yeager.

Still taken aback, Levi put down his mug, not taking away his gaze from her.

„Hm,“ he hummed. „not bad.“

Levi wanted to refuse, wanted to tell her that this little trick wouldn't work on him. But who was he kidding. He really wasn't able to ignore the way she looked up at him, with big green eyes, slightly biting down her lower lip. Levi thought she must have done this unconsciously because there was no way she would actually try to flirt her way through it - that really wasn't her way to achieve the things that she wanted - but damn, this was freaking _hot_. How could somebody look so stubborn and cute at the same time?

He needed to watch out how much he told her, because right now he wanted to tell her everything he knew. But Levi had to bear the responsibility for the Wings of Freedom; and he wasn't a fucking fool.

„Well there's only one thing that I'll tell you for now,“ he weighed his words. „Be fucking careful whom to trust, Eren. Not everyone in the agency is the friend you might take them for.“

Eren eyed him leerily.

„I know that you have some of your shitty spys somewhere near to my team.“ She sent him a stern glare.

„Don't know what you mean, sweetheart.“ It was hard to say this without grinning, but he managed it. „But mind that I'm not the only one who could have wrangled somebody in.“

„Are you implying that there are more criminals in the Scouting Legion?“ she asked sharply.

„The world is not parted in good people and criminals. Sometimes being deviant means to be the better person."

 

Eren rolled her eyes. What she needed was clear information, not some useless worldly wisdom crap. Especially not these twisted kind of criminal-thinking.

 _Better person my ass_. she thought irritabled.

„You're accused of corruption, blackmailing, weapons smuggling and murder,“ she began to list, counting the crimes on her fingers. „And I'm pretty sure that you have much more to answer for. Don't try to convince me that you're one of the good guys, Levi.“

Amused and almost proud he had listened to the listing of his crimes. Then his face turned austere again.

„I never said I'd be a good guy.“ Levi said. „But sometimes the end justifies the means. If you want to make a change, you have to sacrifice something.“

„Bullshit.“ Eren growled in response. She almost wanted to tell him how utterly wrong this statement was, but then she reminded herself that she didn't start the conversation to discuss, but to gather information. „So you mean, there are more spys in the agency?“

He nodded. „As much as I know.“

„From the Titans?“ Eren asked, furrowing her brows.

 

Thoughtfully Levi eyed her. He didn't think that she had any idea of how cute she looked with that concentrated frown on her face.

„I don't know for sure.“ he admitted and broke away his gaze to watch the swirl of his tea as he swiveled the cup instead. „But be aware that many people in the underground know which steps the Scouting Legion will take, before you do, Eren.“

The frown on her face deepened.

„Why do the Titans want to kidnap me so badly? I'm not even invastigating in their case.“

So she still was oblivious. She still hadn't count two and two together. Levi was reliefed and angry at the same time; reliefed because Eren would hate him even more if she found out, and angry because it was fucking obvious. _He_ made it fucking obvious.

But it was better this way. Maybe it was to soon to tell her, maybe she was not ready yet. It was not like he would going to tell her - the main reasons why the Titan wanted to kidnap her were things she had to find out on her own. So Levi decided to tell her only half the story.

„Because you're dangerous to them.“ he simply explained. „You made it more than clear that you won't tolerate delinquencery and corruption in public. That doesn't fit in their concept.“

Eren hummed and leaned back in the chair, arms still crossed. She stared into space for a few seconds before she returned her gaze to Levi again.

„But still, they should be grateful that I'm hunting you. You are their enemy. So it would be better for them to wait till I caught you, wouldn't it? There must be more.“

Oblivious or not, she still was smart. And she had the tendency to ask inconvenient questions.

„Maybe.“ he said vaguely. „Just be careful.“

He took a last sip of his black tea and stood up. „Well, I think we're going to head soon. I'm going to look if they're all ready.“

 

Eren was still not convinced. She couldn't imagine that this was the only reasons for the Titans to kidnap her. Besides, it didn't even make sense that they just kidnapped and not killed her like they usually did with their enemies. Which led back to the question why Eren seemed to be one of their declared enemies? She had the vague feeling that Levi knew more about this, the way he averted his gaze for a brief moment and then stood up abprubtly - like he wanted to keep himself from telling to much. It was so untypical for him, Eren thought he'd take the chance to mock her or to demonstrate his power by annoying her with all kind of tricks. Not that she was disappointed that he finally fucked off. But it was still out of character for him.

Levi had the hand on the doorknob and was about to open the heavy iron door with a key, when Eren hold him back.

„Levi, wait!“ she said quickly.

She couldn't believe that she actually was going to do this. But Mikasa's words from the day before spinned through her mind. She was a grown woman, and she was able to do it. It were just two simple words.

Levi stopped fidging with the key and looked across his shoulders back to Eren.

„Hm?“

Eren looked to the side, she wasn't able to meet his gaze.

„I...just.. Thank you.“ she said, still crossing her arms. „For saving me. And, you know. Not killing me and stuff.“

She peered up at him and for a heartbeat her breath caught.

Levi smiled at her.

It wasn't a smirk, it wasn't a leer, it was an actual smile. And _holy shit_ , he looked gorgeous. In his usual cold grey eyes there was a warm glint that lit up his whole face.

„You're welcome, Eren.“ Levi said smoothly before he left the room and closed the door behind him.

For a few seconds Eren wasn't able to move. With wide eyes she still stared at the iron door, and tried to settle her racing heartbeat.

What the fuck.

Why did she get so excited about a simple smile? It was high time to leave this place and gather her thoughts. First the almost-kiss, then the weird dream, and now that smile. This place seemed to cloud her mind. She groaned annoyed and ran a hand through her hair. Just a few more hours, and she would be home again.

 

\---

 

A few minutes later Levi entered the cell again.

Eren's expression of gratitude had caught him a little off-guard, and he had needed a moment to slip into his old role. He was a fucking mafia leader after all, not a lovesick schoolgirl. As much as he liked Eren, he had a bad reputation to lose, and therefore he would not allow himself to fall out ouf his character again. But the fact that she at least acknowledged what he had risked for her, put Levi in a good mood. He felt almost sorry for the trick he would have to play on her now.

Almost.

As silent as possible he slipped into the room and watched Eren wandering up and down like a caged animal. She hadn't noticed his appearance yet, judging by the thoughtful and spaced off frown on her face. It seemed like something was nagging on her, keeping her distracted from her surroundings. Well, that'd play into his hands.

He soundlessly sneaked up at her from behind as she stopped in front of the window. He would have to act quickly, because there was no way Eren would let him do this without making a fuss. With one fast movement he encircled her from behind, trapping her arms in his strong embrace, and before she could even yell „What the fuck“, he had already applied the cuffs around her wrists. Trying hard to hide his smirk, Levi stepped back and waited for her to swirl around.

The angry growl he received in response somehow delighted his heart.

 

„Levi!“ Eren hissed irritated. „Why do I have to wear handcuffs?!“

Reproachfully she hold up her bounded hands. But the mafia leader didn't seem to be affected by her angry glare and just shrugged his shoulders.

„Well, maybe because this is one of my secret fantasies.“ he smirked as he prompted her to go out of the cell.

„Cut the crap!“ Eren revolted, but still walked outside. „It's not fair, I hold my promise to Mikasa and didn't attack you!“

Levi closed the iron door behind her and whipped out a gun that he pushed into her back.

„Oh, so it's thanks to her I'm still unharmed?“ he replied mockingly, while he nudged her to go down the dark corridor in front of her. „And here I thought you just got used to me.“

Eren growled once again, but didn't reply any further. Regardless of what she said, he would find a way to twist her words around and make a stupid comment. So it'd be better to stay silent. For the moment.

They continued walking down the hallway, passing some wooden doors, till they went downstairs and arrived in a dark outworn foyer with tacky hunting trophies at the wall and bilious green curtains  at a dark entrance door. Eren let her gaze wonder incredulously.

„The furnishing in your nightclub was far more tasty than this.“ Eren muttered before she could bite her tongue.

 _Think before you speak, idiot._ she scolded herself.

„Oh, you liked the interior?“ Levi asked amused. „You're allways invited to visit me there again, that'd be fun.“

„I think the fun I had there last time was enough for the rest of my life, thanks.“

Levi chuckled and rustled in his jacket, and the next moment Eren felt soft fabric wrapped around her eyes. Though she blinked in surprise, all she was able to see was blackness.

Levi had blindfolded her.

„Whait, what?!“ Eren exclaimed shocked. „No, no! Take this shit off, I can't see anything!“

As if being tied would not be bad enough. She felt completely at Levi's mercy this way, even more than before. And she didn't like it at all.

She heard Levi opening a door.

„Well, that's the purpose of a blindfold, you know.“

He pushed her gently towards the door. „C'mon sweetheart, we don't have all day.“

Stubbornly Eren remained in the doorframe.

„No.“

 

Impatiently Levi clicked his tongue. „Listen, I'd also like to spend more time with you, but we have to leave now.“

Eren had the nerve to shake her head resolutely. „Not before you take this thing off me!“ she stated.

„Eren.“ Levi couldn't believe that she still made demands on him. Even tied, blindfolded and threatened she wasn't able to subordinate. „Do you think I'm a fucking idiot? I won't show you where our headquarter is situated. Now stop acting like a stubborn kid and go to the damn car!“

Emphatically he pressed the barrel of his gun further into her back. Eren still didn't move a single inch.

„How am I supposed to walk this way? I'll fall and break my bones.“ she insisted.

Levi sighed annoyed and massaged the bridge of his nose with his fingers. Usually Eren's stubborness entertained him to no end, but right now he was a bit pressed for time. And surely but slowly he got the feeling that she just feigned an excuse to piss him off on purpose. Levi looked at her face and noticed the faintly satisfied tug on her lips, and found his guess confirmed.

Just you wait.

A devilish grin plastered on his face as he stored his gun away. Before Eren was able to complain further, he grabbed her by the back and knee pits and lifted her up. She protested with a surprised squeal, and Levi had to hold back a laugh. This was so much more fun than dealing with the captive last week, he actually could get used to this.

Carrying her bridal style, he walked out of the house and down the little path towards the carriage entrance. Eren struggled and kicked like an angry cat in his grip, but he just pressed her closer to his chest.

„You were right.“ Levi declared „This is much better!“

Eren didn't seem to agree, as she still was thrashing around in his arms.

„Fucking bastard!“ she hissed, „Let me down!“

„Nah, I don't think so.“

He turned around the corner and spotted the long black limousine that Erd had prepared for them. His team was already waiting for them and he could see that Mikasa was pretty pissed, judging by her sinister glare. For a brief moment he was to occupied thinking about the upcoming meeting they had in the city, and one of Eren's kicks finally hit him at the jaw and almost knocked him out.

„For gods sake, Eren! Stop struggling, or we'll both break our bones!“

 

Eren replied with a muttered „Would be worth it“, but decided to remain still. She wanted to get away from here as soon as possible, and it really wasn't in her interest to tumble together with Levi. The noises of a running engine and whispered words indicated that they were near the car now, and his walking became slowlier.

„Levi,“ she could hear Mikasa's stern voice. „stop teasing Eren! She had enough stress the last days!“

„I'm not teasing her, she wanted this!“

„I fucking didn't!“ she hissed.

Hot breathing against her ear startled Eren.

„Maybe I should have used a gag as well.“ Levi's low whisper sent a shiver down her spine.

She was dropped in a comfortable carseat and heard other people rushing in too. She had no idea how many people they were, and she didn't know what to think of it. But at least she was not alone with Levi, so that worked for her at the moment.

Finally the car began to move, and the tension in Eren's body eased up a bit.

„If we didn't have to babysit this brat here, we would make it to the meeting in time.“ a slightly familiar voice resonated sniffly across from her.

To Eren's surprise she heard Petra retorting to the comment, before she herself could even open her mouth.

„Go and bite your tongue, Auruo.“ the woman said annoyed. „She's way more mature than you'll ever be.“

Ok, so either she must have been dreaming again because _did insane hazelnut actually just defend her?_ \- or these people were all a bunch of unstable freaks.

Probably the latter.

The voices continued arguing, but nobody seemed to be bothered by it. Pondering about the amberhaired woman, Eren almost didn't notice how somebody began to play softly with her hair and twirl it around their finger.

„I think I've already said this before,“ she gritted her teeth, „keep your fucking hands to yourself, Levi!“

„Abiding memory, indeed.“ Levi chuckled beneath her. „But how did you know it was me?“

„Because you're the only one who does this shit! Besides, I can smell you.“

„Oh?“ he asked in an undertone of interest. „So you know my scent?“

Eren could have kicked herself. She really should know when to shut her trap by now.

„That's just because you're my enemy. It's only natural for me to know these things about you.“ she said, hoping desperately that he wouldn't see her face heaten up.

 

Levi tucked the strand of hair back behind her ear and noticed amused how Eren's cheeks turned slightly pink as his fingers remained a second longer than necessary.

He leaned down and blew gently on the shell of her ear. The shiver he was rewarded with was response enough for his unasked question.

„Yeah,“ he purred into her ear. „Keep telling that yourself, Eren.“

 

The rest of the drive remained quiet, except for a few remarks between Auruo and Petra here and there. After what felt like about two hours - considering that Eren completely had lost sense of time - they finally reached their goal.

Mikasa was the one who took off blindfold and the handcuffs - Levi had made a comment about Eren ripping him apart if he would do so- and she even accompanied Eren the short way towards the headquarter of the Scouting Legion.

They stopped in front of the high-rise building, and Mikasa hugged her firmly.

„Please, take care, Eren.“ she said earnestly.

„Yeah … thanks.“ the agent replied sheepishly and watched the gang member walking around the corner, out of sight.

Then she inhaled deeply and opened the big glass door to step into the lobby.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure about the omniscient third-person POV that I used here; was it too confusing?  
> And I'm sorry for the lack of action here, next chapter will also not contain many, BUT we will get to see jealous Levi instead.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren goes on a date with an old childhood friend. Levi doesn't approve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you're not disappointed with my jealous Levi, it was hard to not turn him into a creepy stalker ...

When Eren had entered her office floor, hell broke loose.

Hange was the first one that spotted her, and immediately buried her under the most breath-taking hug she'd ever gotten. A few moments later the rest of her colleagues recognised her and darted her as well. People barraged her with questions where she had been and what had happened, not giving her just one second to take a breath and maybe answer some of their questions. It was touching to see how worried they all have been, and when Armin shed some tears and repeated how sorry he was that he had not been there she didn't know what to say at this, she just hugged him once more, hoping that nobody would notice the tears that filled her eyes as well.

They all went straight to Erwin's office, where Eren reported what had happened at the harbour and afterwards. Well, of course she skipped a few irrelevant details.

„Don't get me wrong, I'm glad that you're fit and well,“ Jean looked at Eren slightly confused. „But why the hell should a mafia leader rescue the agent that investigates in his case? Patch her up and set her free again like nothing had ever happened?“

Eren had seen this question coming, but it still caught her off-guard.

„Well, I … I don't know.“ she said, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

„But you asked him about it, didn't you?“ Erwin asked, his chin resting on his fingers while he eyed her thoughtfully. He knew that Eren would never let the oppurtunity slip to gather information.

„I did.“ Eren said pathetically.Receiving a raised brow from her boss, she felt the compulsion to tell more. But how the fuck should she explain such a situation to them? „I asked him, but then... then Mikasa interrupted us and asked him to go and meet up with one of his subordinates. So he didn't answer.“

She prayed to all gods that nobody would notice the way her cheeks heatened up. The odd looks that she received from Erwin, Hange and Armin told her otherwise. Of course these three were to smart to hide something from them. But surprisingly it was Jean who broke the doubtful silence.

„Oh my god, so it's true!“ he exclaimed and his eyes nearly popped out of his head. „Levi really is in love with Eren, isn't he?“ Pumped he threw his arms in the air and waved them frantically. „He didn't just make fun of her with his actions back then, he actually courted her! Levi goes for Eren, that's why he saved her!“

She wished the ground would open and swallow her up already. Eren felt embarrassed though she hadn't done anything wrong.

„Jean, could you stop being so noisy...“ she began, but was interrupted by her subordinate.

„ _You_.“ Jean pointed at her, a triumphant grin plastering on his face. „I told you so! You really landed yourself a creepy mafia leader as a boyfriend, I can not believe it ...“ he trailed off, gasping for air between his laughing.

„Shut the fuck up Kirschneigh!“ Eren flared. „Stop calling him my boyfriend or I'll fucking kick-“

„Or what? You're gonna call your hon-bun and I'll end up at the bottom of the sea with cemented-“

„Jean. Eren.“ Erwin didn't raise his voice, but the authoritative undertone in it was enough to silence them both. „This is not the time to fool around. We need to focus on the task.“

Eren sent Jean a last warning glare and resisted the urge to stick out her tongue at him, before she nodded towards Erwin.

„Maybe we can arrest them outright. They seemed to have a meeting here in the city, and they're driving around in a big long limousine, not very subtle ...“ she started to explain, but Armin interrupted her.

„Regarding this, Eren, we have something to tell you.“ he said, glancing up at her with concern written over his face.

The other members of her squad avoided her questioning gaze. She raised a brow and gestured him to continue.

„Listen, the thing is, we can not arrest them. There's no arrest warrent anymore.“

Eren stared at him in disbelief.

„What.“

„Well, the public prosecutor didn't want to issue it.“ Armin explained. „Kitts Woerman said we had no evidences, and it all could have been a big misunderstanding.“

„A _misunderstanding_?“ Eren repeated bewildered. „A misunderstanding? We saw them fucking switch their suitcases, they bucked us, hell, there even was a gunfire!“

Connie made a sour face. „He said Levi was a responsible citizen of this city who gives much money for charity reasons, and it would be a shame to disgruntle him by acting with precipitation.“ he said.

Eren turned around and stared at Erwin, secretly asking him to please, please deny those words. But the man remained silent.

„So, in other words, Levi paid Kitts?“ she asked with gritted teeth, clenching her fists.

Erwin nodded. „I'm afraid he did. There's nothing we can do about it at the moment.“

Without warning Eren kicked hard against one of Erwin's iron file cabinets.

„Fuck you!“ she shouted. „Fuck you, you damn bastard!“ She kicked it a second time, breathing heavily.

The others, though used to her tantrums, flinched.

„Eren.“ Jean cautiously took a step towards her, patting her shoulder in a rare act of empathy. „Don't worry, we'll get him. You've worked so hard, and you're one of the best, so he won't get away.“

The unusual soothing words from Jean helped Eren to calm down. She ceased attacking the file cabinet, but let out a frustrated sigh. „How am I supposed to catch him when the justice system of this island is so fucked up.“ she said, bitterniss filling her voice „Kitts is not the only one who's corrupt in this city. Even if we're able to convince him, there will be others that'll stand in our way. And as long as they are there, people like Levi will get away with everything.“

Armin tilted his head, worry written all over his face.

„Are you planning to give up, Eren?“ he asked concerned. It was a rare sight to see her that downcast.

Fortunately it lasted just a few seconds, before she turned around to him with the familiar determent glint in her eyes.

„No.“ she said firm. „Never.“

 

\---

 

Only on the insistence of Erwin Eren was willing to take the day off and promised to get herself some rest. As soon as she came home, she sat down in her living room and turned on the laptop. Though she was not allowed to investigate in Levi's case today, it wouldn't hurt to do some research regarding the Titans. She logged into the Scouting Legion System and wanted to download the files and old cases, but as she typed in her access data, a red sign popped up on the screen.

**„Access denied. No appropriate access authorization. Use proper registration to unlock files.“**

„What the hell...“ Eren murmured perplexed. She was a high ranking Special Agent, she was allowed to order files regarding investigations about the Pentagon if she wanted, why was she blocked for the Titan case? Irritated she took a sip of her beer and dialed the number of Armin.

The blond replied to the call instantly. „Hey Eren, what's up? Are you allright?“

She could hear an undertone of concern in his voice. „Yeah, thanks, I'm fine.“ she reassured him. Hell, why did people act like she was made of sugar all of sudden? „Listen Armin, could you do me favor? I need you to log into the SL System and search for the Titan files.“

„Eren, didn't you promise to take the day off and relax?“ Armin's voice sounded strict, and Eren smiled to herself.

„I am relaxing.“ she replied. „I'm sitting on my couch, enjoying a beer and now I want to distract myself from work.“

„With _more_ work?“

She rolled her eyes. „Actually, yes. Now could you please log in?“

Armin sighed and did what he was told. He knew that there was no point in arguing with Eren about this topic. Much to his surprise, he also wasn't able to get access to the Titan files. Everytime he tried to log in, he would receive the same warning-sign as Eren.

„This is odd,“ Armin hummed thoughtfully through the phone. „I hope it's just a technical error or something. I can not think of any reason to block these information from us.“

Eren wasn't entirely convinced. Something was nagging on her, but she couldn't put her finger on it.

„Armin, I have a bad feeling about this.“ she said. „Something isn't quite right with this case.“

„Hm.“ he hummed again. „Who's the chief investigator?“

Eren crunched her nose. „Nile Dok.“ she almost spat out the name.

Saying that her and Nile would not get along well was an understatement. The older agent still treated Eren like a rookie, ignoring all the great achievements she had made over the years, not showing any kind of respect towards her. Though they were equal agents with either of them having their own teams, Nile somehow refused to acknowledge this fact. Eren allways assumed that he was kind of envious of her, because the man himself haven't had a big success in his investigations for years now, while she moved up the ladder steadily.

„I guess there's no other way than talking with Dok about the case, if you want to know more about it.“ Armin counseled.

Eren made a face like she had bitten into a bitter lemon, but she knew he was right. She had to bring herself to talk to that conceited ass, and she'd better pull herself together for this.

 

\---

 

Eren had underestimated the amount of pig-headedness that Nile possessed.

The next day she came into his bureau, explained what had happened at the harbour and that she wanted to get information, but before she even was finished he interrupted her with a spiteful laugh, saying that he already had heard how she had managed to get kidnapped again. In front of all his subordinates he had the gall to sent her a meaningful look, remarking that she shouldn't complain, as she now possessed the protection of a powerful mafia boss.Eren felt the anger boiling up in her body again, but she was able to contain it.

„And what an amazing coincidence, that this mafia boss is also the one that you're claiming to chase.“ Nile said with an evil glint in his eyes.

The agent next to him lifted his eyebrows so high the disappeared under his black bowl cut. It was an open secret that the two investigators didn't like each other, but talking with such an hostidy to each other was new, even for them.

„What are you trying to imply?“ Eren took a step forward to him, crossed her arms and eyed him lividly.

„Come on Yeager,“ Nile huffed disdainfully. „Are you that dull? I always knew that you didn't achieve things because of your competence. Just flutter your eyelashes and everybody will come and help our little Agent bright-eyes. You gained all your accomplishments just because you're young and pretty, and Levi is just another fool that became a victim of the show you put up.“ He sent her a wicked smile. „You acted dumb enough that he felt the need to protect his little sweetheart. Maybe that's the reason you don't have access to our case, because they don't want you to ruin our it with your clumsiness.“

Wow. Eren stared at him in disbelief.

_And the asshole-of-the-year-award goes to Nile Dok._

She knew what anger felt like. She had experienced it for countless times now, and Eren knew how to handle it. Usually. But right now, the rage leapt up inside her, and she had a hard time to restrain herself from attacking Dok because of his unbelievable offensive words.

She would have none of this shit. Douchebags with a macho behaviour like his were the reasons why she would never give up showing what she was made of. Eren would speak her mind now.

„Listen up, idiot.“ she said coldly, ignoring the indignant look she received from Nile. „Just because _you_ didn't achieve anything in the last years, doesn't mean we are all a bunch of incompetent cowards like you. While you sat in your cozy little bureau and twiddled your thumps, me and my team worked our asses of to hunt down our targets. You doubting my competence in this case is intolerable.“ The man opened his mouth to retort something, but Eren raised her hand. „No, I'm not finished yet, so don't you fucking dare to interrupt me. I ignored your disrespectful behaviour long enough, because I felt somehow pity for you. You're getting older and older without making any progress in your investigations.“

The tension that had alighted on the room was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. „And if you“ she pointed her finger at his chest, receiving a few surprised gasps for her boldness from the other agents „if _you_ did your job properly, this whole kidnapping thing wouldn't have happened to begin with. You're just trying to hide the fact that you have done a shitty job by attacking people who are more succesfull than you.“

Nile's face had turned red from anger, and he gritted his teeth. „Get the fuck out of my office, Yeager!“ he growled at her, clenching his fists.

„With pleasure!“ Eren replied in the same manner.

When she almost was out of the door, she turned around to him one last time.

„You know what, Dok.“ she said in a cocky undertone. „When I accomplished my current mission, maybe I'll help you annihilating the Titans. Would be the first time since forever for you to have an actual success, wouldn't it?“

With a last look on his raging face she slammed the door.

 

\---

 

Of course the news that Nile and Eren had had a fight spread like a wild-fire in the Scouting Legion. Some of the older agents crunched their noses, muttering about how younger agents are not showing proper respect anymore, but most of the people applauded Eren inwardly for finally putting Nile in his place. He had blown it with many people in the agency by his arrogant behaviour. Eren didn't care about the gossip that was going on now, she burried herself under even more work to find a way to prove that the Wings of freedom still commited crimes. Fortunately her team members supported her without mentioning the accusations of Nile. The sour look on her face was reason enough for them to stay silent and do their job.

This lasted for a few days, but of course Jean would find another reason to pester Eren. Maybe it was his way to restore everyday life again, maybe he just wanted to distract her from her anger about Nile's words. Or maybe he just was a douchebag who enjoyed annyoing her.

„Oi, Eren!“ he grinned as he entered the break room, where she sat with Armin, Sasha and Hange to enjoy their lunch. „Why didn't you tell me that you'll go on a date with Thomas next week?“

The brunet ran a hand over her face, ignoring the excited squeal from Hange and Armin's curious gaze beside her.

„It's not a date, Jean. I just agreed to accompany him to this charity-event he plans.“ she groaned.

It was true; Thomas was an old friend of her that helped organizing a huge party to fundraise money for children in hospitals, and he had asked Eren to go with him since it always looked better to the donors if a beautiful young couple would greet them.

„Which is, in other words, a date.“ Jean grinned. He opened his mouth to say something certainly stupid, but Hange butted in.

„Who is this Thomas-boy, Eren?“ she squealed and approached the agent, a slightly insane grin on her face. „And where do you know him from?“ She almost bounced up in excitement.

Before Eren could answer, Sasha detached herself from the box of chicken wings she was currently devouring.

„Thomas is friends with us since our starter days at the Academy“ she just continued chewing while she spoke. „and he has a big crush on Eren since _ever_.“ Sasha turned to Eren and sent her a curious look. „I mean, how many times did he ask you out now? Why did you agree, all of sudden?“

Though Eren tried hard to convince the others that this was not a date, she had to admit to herself that she had concidered to give Thomas a chance now. At first she had not been sure if she wanted to do this, but her mother kept on and on at this whole dating thing, telling Eren that she should find a nice decent man, settle down and raise a family. To be honest, that would be the furthest thing from her thoughts, but as Eren told her mother that she'd go out with Thomas, the older woman finally stopped pestering her about the topic.

Well, and there was also her odd relationship with Levi. Since the events at the harbour and the days afterwards she started to have freaky thoughts about him. Not the usual hate-filled bloody fantasies she sometimes had about her targets, which, by the way, were a completely normal thing to her. It was more that certain images filled her mind, like how he would look like without a shirt, or how the little crinkles around his eyes would pucker when he smiled at her. Really weird.

After another strange wet dream with him playing the leading role in it, she decided that it was the result of overworking and not distracting herself enough. She hadn't dated or fucked in a while now, and that was the reason why she would get turned on by the first handsome guy who came along her way, even if it was an arrogant criminal. She simply was underlaid.

So the obvious solution to this problem was to go out and have a little fun, maybe even hook up with somebody. Thomas was a smart and fun guy, so Eren didn't see any reason why she shouldn't give him a try. But she didn't particularly look for a serious relationship, and that was why she didn't want the others to know about it. That was also what she had told Thomas, but obviously he had talked to Jean about it nevertheless.

Great.

„I didn't agree to go out, it's not a date!“ Eren repeated stubbornly. „I'll just keep a friend company.“

Jean was still grinning. „Well, Thomas seems to see this different.“ he chirped while he sat down at the chair next to Eren. “He's totally excited about the whole thing.“

„Oh Eren, why are you getting red?“ Hange cackled excited. „What's so bad about a date with a cute guy?“ She whipped around to Sasha to her left. „He is cute, isn't he?“ she seeked for confirmation.

„Yeah, of course. He got quite the booty.“ the addressed woman laughed while she opened another box of hot dip sauce.

„Oh, is he as bootylicious as our favourite thug Levi?“ Hange asked, ignoring Eren's indignant interjection. „Hey you can't deny that he's a hot piece of ass!“ the scientist practically drooled, her hands trembling from excitement as she continued. Sasha laughed so hard that she almost fell off her chair, while Eren groaned annoyed.

„Oh, how mad he will be when he finds out that his pure little sweetheart is cheating on him.“ Hange whooped, causing Sasha to choke on her food.

They were both giggling and cackling like maniacs and Eren was about to call them to order, as Jean interrupted them.

„Yeah, speaking of that creepy midget,“ he said, stealing a chicken wing from Sasha and receiving a hiss from her, „There was a parcel delivered for you at the front desk, Eren. The sender says it's a certain 'L.'“

Eren slammed her head on the table, trying to ignore the insane laughter from Hange.

„Oh please, not again.“ she muttered.

 

\---

 

Levi lit up the cigarette in his hands and took a deep drag.

He sat in the provisory work room of his currently headquarter, an old hunting lodge in the middle of nowhere. The building was ugly as hell and not even in the slightest comparable to his villa in the city, but it fulfilled their needs perfectly - especially when they had to hide. But now that this dumbass of Kitts was on their side - thanks to a shit-ton of money that had changed hands quickly after the incident at the harbour - there was no need to hide anymore, and they finally could plan their moving to another, more comfortable home. Erd and Petra were currently sitting at the table across the room and discussed the details, while Mikasa worked on a file of papers next to them.

Usually Levi wouldn't offload this to her, but today he didn't have the nerves to battle with this shit himself. He took the blue folder on the table in his hands once more and stared down at it.The photo that was tagged on the cover sheet showed a young blond man with a sheepish smile and ridiculous side-whiskers. Levi took another drag off his cigarette.

_Thomas Wagner._

Even his name was ridiculous and boring.

Apparantly the man was an old friend of Eren, which probably explained why she even considered to go out with him. Levi couldn't see another reason; this negligible person didn't match her at all. The blond man seemed to have a crush on Eren since they were teenagers, but apparantly she had shut him down countless times. So why now? What did she want with him, all of sudden? It sure as hell wasn't Wagner's appearance that attracted her, because c'mon, _side-whiskers_.

Levi bet his ass that the guy just grew it to hide the fact that he had a baby face. The boy had been raised in an average middle-class family and had studied medicine right after school. During his first year at university he seemed to have met Eren and the rest of her squad for the first time and they became friends immediately. Now Wagner was a resident in internal medicine, living on his own in a small apartment next to the hospital, and he enjoyed to go fishing, considering the amount of money he had spent on fishing equipment last month.He was nothing special, nothing splendid. And yet this guy rained on Levi's parade.

And it pissed him off.

The mere thought of this jerk drooling over Eren, sitting next to her, breathing the same air, ultimately _touching_ her - it aroused the desire in Levi to grab his gun and send a fucking bullet through blondie's dick. Though this idea was very appealing to him, he would have to behave. If he killed Wagner, Eren would hate him to the end of the ages.

„Is this the guy?“ Mikasa stepped behind Levi, looking curiously at the photograph.

„Hm.“ he grunted in response.

„Ilse was fast with her inquirires.“ Mikasa said, examining the picture of Wagner closer. „Hm, he looks good. Kinda cute.“

Levi swinged around, narrowing his eyes at her. Most of the people would back off immediately at this point, but his sister just gave a light chuckle and patted him on the shoulder.

„Okay, okay. Not as handsome as you are, of course.“ she reassured him amused.

Levi huffed and stared absentmindly at the cigarette in his hands.

„Are you going to do something about it?“ Mikasa asked, back to her usual serious self.

„Of course.“ Levi put the cigarette to his lips once more and took a last drag. „Tell Nifa she will take on the delivery to Eibringer with her squad tomorrow. Our plans have just changed.“

Mikasa nodded, put on her jacket and left the room.

Fuck whisker-boy.

Levi tore the page with the photograph from the folder, crumbled it and tossed it over his shoulder into the trashbin.

Levi would not let this happen. He would make Eren his.

 

\---

 

The charity gala took place in one of the fanciest hotels of the city, and it was that kind of place where you wouldn't even come near the door without a tailor-made dress or suit. Eren never understood why people would wear their most expensive clothes and bracelets with the value of a small house on charity events, to her it was somehow hypocritical. She just wore her favourite little black dress and a suitable bolero jacket. She waived any jewelry or costly purses, although she had to discuss with Hange several minutes why she wouldn't want to get all dolled up.

Hange and Armin would also show up on the party. Armin wanted to come because he was friends with Thomas and wanted to meet some psychologists from the hospital, and Hange insisted to accompany him because she was nosy and wanted to find out who this Thomas Wagner was.

As the three of them arrived, Thomas was already busy making the final preparations. He was dressed in black pants and a white button up shirt that was completed with a grey suit coat, and Eren had to admit that he looked good in it. They made their way to greet him, and when he spotted them he blushed slightly.

„Ah Eren, you're beautiful as always tonight.“ he said sheepishly.

„Thanks, you look nice yourself too.“ she replied with a smile, giving the squealing Hange behind her a hard dig with her elbow.

After a few minutes the first guests arrived, and Thomas and Eren made small talk with countless donors. Thomas told them about their projects at the hospital, and everytime he did so, his golden eyes would begin to sparkle with enthusiasm. From time to time people would recognise Eren as the young and succesfull Special Agent from last weeks Late-Night-Talk-Show, and they talked to important people and strangers with money for what felt like hours.

At some point Thomas dragged Eren to their table to take a little break and spent some private time together. She was glad to have a pause from all the conversations, but the way her friend stared at her with adoring eyes made her feel slightly uncomfortable. Eren had known that he had a soft spot for her, but apparantly he was more serious about this whole dating-thing than she had expected. She had noticed it during their talks with all those people, the way he eyed her when he thought she wouldn't see it.

„I'm glad you finally agreed to go out with me.“ Thomas said and smiled tenderly at her.

She didn't know how to respond to that, she didn't even know if she liked the blond the way he seemed to like her. Sure, he was cute and nice, and she could imagine to have some fun with him. But not if he looked with this expecting eyes at her, like he would dream of marriage and kids and all the stuff Eren wasn't interested in. She didn't even know if she wanted to bond to someone, let alone have a serious relationship. And she sure as hell didn't want to break Thomas' heart by playing with him and turning him down afterwards. It was just to much pressure for her. She wanted to tell him this, but he already continued.

„I've liked you for so long now.“ he said, his cheeks turning pink.

 _Oh god, please not a confession_.

„Eren, please tell me-“ He was interrupted by a tall man with short silver hair that stepped to their table.

„Hey Thomas, sorry to disturb you, but I want to introduce you to somebody.“ The guy said.

The blond sighed, before he put on his usual polite smile and turned around. „Sure, Franz. Who is it?“

„Well this gentleman here“ Franz said while he stepped aside to reveal the man behind him. „just gave 500.000 Euro for our project.“

Eren's eyes widened in horror as her gaze locked with sharp grey ones. Of course she recognised them immediately, because how could she ever forget them.

What the hell. Of all people that she could have met at her sort-of-date it had to be _him_.

The raven hair was slicked back, emphasizing his delicately chiselled features. The well-sitting black suit underlined his athletic physique, and a cocksure grin graced Levi's lips as he approached the table.

„500.000 Euro!“ Thomas gasped as he stood up. „Wow, that's amazing, thank you so much Sir! I'm very pleased to meet you.“

„Likewise, Mr. Wagner.“ Levi spoke with a smooth, velvet voice as he shook the offered hand.

Then, pretending that he just had noticed her, he turned to the agent. „Oh, and Eren's here, too? What a nice little coincidence.“

He watched her astonishment with an amused glint in his eyes. She realised that she had gawked on him, and so she quickly gritted her teeth.

„Levi!“ she growled. „How dare you showing up at a charity-event with a dirty personality like yours." She hissed at him. "Fuck off!“

Thomas, who just sat down, flinched at her harsh words. „Eren, you're being rude!“ he whispered reproachfully.

She just wanted to snap back with a apposite answer, as Thomas turned his attention to the mafia leader again.

„Mr. Levi, would you like to have a seat?“ he offered.

„I'd be glad to.“ the raivenhaired purred as he pulled up a chair and sat down. The round diner table was very small, but at least he had the decency to keep a sufficient distance to Eren.

„Oh, and please call me Levi,“ he added, sending Eren a pointed look. „All of my friends do.“

For a brief moment she deliberated how she could grab her gun with the lowest possibly risk, as it crossed her mind that she was unarmed at the moment.

Fuck.

Thomas' voice brought her back to reality. „So you two are, uhm, friends?“ he asked awkwardly, noticing the tension that had developed between his date and the donor.

Eren's resentful „No!“ was almost drowned by Levi's amused „Yes.“ Thomas looked confused from one to another.

Eren glared lividly at her enemy, before she turned to her friend once more. „Thomas, do you have any idea who this fucker is?!“ she didn't even try to keep her voice low.

Thomas winced once more as he heard the insult. Then he sent her a stern gaze. „Yes, this is the man who just donated half a million Euro that will allow us to build a new restroom for the paediatric oncology!“ he whispered. „And this is what counts in the end!“

Eren's jaw dropped down at the blatancy of this statement. So Thomas was not any better than these pigs that impeded her work, he was after nothing but the money. She didn't notice the amused smirk on Levi's face as he leaned back to enjoy the show in front of him.

„But he's the leader of the Wings of freedom, Thomas!“ Eren hissed. „In fact, he is the mafia boss that I have been hunting for months now! Do you really want your organization to be associated with a criminal like him?“

Thomas eyebrows raised and for a brief moment he looked unsure of what to do now.

„Ah, you're exaggerating, Eren.“ Levi said with an alluring voice and turned towards the blond man again. „You know, there were some misunderstandings, untenable assertions.“

Every second he spoke Eren's anger grew bigger, and as she was about to finally boil over with it, she suddenly felt a caressing foot wandering up her legs.

_No, he did not just-_

Yeah, apparantly he did. Levi played footsie with her.

Her head snapped towards him, but the man was still facing Thomas as if nothing had happend. „Fortunately the prosecutor noticed his mistake-“ the foot nudged her thighs, toes curling slightly into her skin, „and he withdrew all the allegations.“ Levi finished his blatant lie.

Eren clenched her fists till the knuckles turned white, and kicked the intrusive limb hard unter the table. Levi's eyes widened and his jaw clenched for a second, but he soon returned to his self-assured smirk.

„Yeah, I think there are quite a few misunderstandings here.“ Eren gritted her teeth, sending Levi a warning glare. „Thomas, you should call the security and let them remove him.“

Thomas still wasn't convinced. „But Eren, this is the perfect chance to extend our project“ he insisted whispering.

Eren stared at him in disbelief. Was he really that stupid? She had been so wrong about him. Disappointed she wanted to stand up, but Thomas layed his hand reassuring on her own, giving it a gentle squeeze. „Just think about how many kids we can help with the money!“

Eren almost wanted to withdraw her hand, but then she noticed the way Levi watched them stonily.

So maybe this was the way to piss him off and finally chase him away.

She returned the squeeze, sending Thomas a faint smile, and the blond's face lit up. Levi's dark gaze intensified immediately.

„So, Mr. Wagner.“ he interlaced his slender fingers and rested his chin on them. „I heard you're working parttime for another project that provides the poor in problematic districts with free medical care? What a noble gesture.“ Thomas nodded, and a smug smile tugged on the corner of Levi's lips. „But it's also a very dangerous job, isn't it? There are so many things that could go wrong if you messed up with the wrong people.“

Eren noticed a devilish glint crossing his features and was alarmed.

Did he just threaten Thomas?

The blond didn't seem to notice, as he replied cheerfully. „Oh, but someone has to do it, and I don't think...“

Eren didn't pay attention to the rest of his answer, instead she glared daggers at Levi. The mafia leader pretended to listen to Thomas, but watched her out of the corner of his eyes.

She frowned at him, silently forming the words „I'll slice you!“ with her lips. Eren wasn't really surprised by the smirk she received from him, but as he mouthed a „Try me!“ in the same manner, she almost threw the steak knife at him.

If she just had an arrest warrant. She would just jump him right now, tie him up and gag him, maybe give him a good punch and then - arrest the fuck out of him.

Thomas didn't pick up on any of their silent communications and continued rambling about his job, but as Franz approached him again, he gave him a questioning gaze.

„Thomas, sorry to interrupt you once more, but we need you right now.“ the guy said apologetically. „Mina seemed to have annoyed the host again, and now he refuses to do his job properly.“

The blond sighed. „Looks like I have to move on now. It was nice to meet you, Levi.“ he said to the ravenhaired, before he turned to Eren. „Hey, do you want to come with-“

But Eren had already stood up and tugged impatiently at his hand. „Let's go.“ she said decisively, and with a last urgent look at Levi she dragged Thomas away from the table.

 

 

The next hours Eren managed to stay away from Levi. The room was very crowded, so it wasn't hard to avoid contact with him. But the amount of people also prevented her from finding Armin. She needed to tell him that Levi was here again, apparantly to piss her off.

Though she tried to concentrate on helping Thomas to fundraise the money, she had a hard time to participate into the small talk again and felt slightly distracted. Every once in a while Thomas would grab her hand or lay his arm around her waist to introduce her to some new people, and every time he did so Eren could practically feel a piercing gaze on her. When she turned around, she would catch a glimpse of Levi, staring at her from across the room. But then she blinked and the mafia leader was vanished without a trace. It started to get creepy, but she surely wouldn't let herself get intimidated by such stupid mind games.

After several hours Thomas excused himself to disappear in the direction of the bathroom, and Eren took the chance to search for Armin and Hange once more. On the way she was detained by a group of middle-aged ladies she was introduced before, which wanted to hear thrilling stories about her job, but Eren put them off, telling them she needed to find somebody. Hell, was she a little monkey that was supposed to dance and entertain some rich-ass bonzes? Grumbling she made her way through the crowd of people, till she spotted a familiar shock of blond hair.

Armin was at the bar, getting drinks for Hange and him, and greeted Eren with a smile.

„Hey, how's it going-“ he began, but was interrupted by the agent.

„A catastrophe.“ she said, dragging him into a quiet corner. Armin raised a questioning eyebrow at her. Eren took a deep breath. „Levi's here.“ she stated, waiting for her friend to let out a surprised gasp or something.

But instead he just hummed thoughtfully. „Hm, I figured out something like that.“ he said.

Now it was her turn to sent him a questioning gaze.

„Listen Eren, we need to talk,“ Armin began, but a slightly drunken Hange approached them, slurring something about wanting to dance with both of them. The psychologist looked at Eren with alert blue eyes. „But not here. Can you say goodbye to Thomas, so we can leave?“ he asked. „We'll wait for you here at the bar.“

Eren nodded and wanted to get away, but her friend tugged at her wrist and caused her to turn around to him once again. „Be careful.“ Armin said with an urgent look.

 

She was on her way to search for Thomas, when Eren almost bumped into a group of dark clothed men. Irritated, she wanted to turn away, when she picked up a familiar name overhearing a conversation next to her. „Well Levi, it has been a pleasure working with you.“ one shady old guy roared.

Eren's head snapped into the direction of the noise, and she just noticed the mafia leader walking away calmly.

So this bastard dared to make his dirty business at a charity event like this.

Armin's warning resonated in her mind, but Eren couldn't control her curiosity. When he eased his way towards the door and looked around casually, she decided to follow him without attracting attention. The smug look on his face implied that he planned something, and she needed to make sure that he wouldn't do anything to ruin this evening. It was an important event for Thomas, and therefore she would do her best to help him, even if it included preventing Levi from doing something stupid and illegal.

The ravenhaired wandered down the dark hallway, away from the party, and Eren wondered what the fuck he could have in mind. He slipped out of his jacket, revealing the sight to a dark vest and - a holster with a gun on his back.

He didn't plan to start a shooting here, did he? Eren gulped as she carefully followed him.

The mafia leader straid seemingly aimless further down the hallway, turning around the corner, entering another area of the hotel. Nobody else was around here, but Levi didn't seem to mind. He even began humming. Eren needed some seconds till she figured out it was Blondies „One way or another“, and she rolled her eyes. Of course even his taste in music fitted his unnerving personality.

After several minutes he finally seemed to have reached his goal, as he entered a blind alley. He sat down in a abandoned seating area and tossed his jacket over the armpit of a black leather couch. Eren made sure that he still wouldn't see her and hid behind a wall, the perfect spot to watch his profile without being noticed.

Why was he here? What did he had in mind?

Still humming, Levi slowly rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, and Eren was reminded of the situation back in his headquarters, where he had caught her staring at his muscular forearms. She blushed, reliefed that nobody would see it right now.

Lost in thoughts the man grabbed his gun, and Eren tensed in her hiding spot. But instead of firing the weapon, he just examined it, whipped out a handkerchief and started to clean the pistole. Devotedly he ran the fabric over the cold metal, taking his sweet time to rub away any hint of dust. Then he popped out the magazine, a calm and peaceful expression on his face.

The more she watched him, the harder it was for her to understand his actions. What was it with his and cleaning the weapon all of sudden?

Putting in the magazine back into the gun, Levi suddenly stopped humming and turned around. The dim light casted shadows on his face and she couldn't make out his expression. Suddenly he glanced up, lifted his gun and aimed into her direction. _Directly_ into her direction.

„Enjoying the show, Eren?“ he asked.

Shit.

How could he knew that she was there? She had been as careful as possible when she had followed him, there was no way he could have detected-

Unless Levi wanted her to follow him. Which meant he had played wit her once again.

Fucking bastard.

„Come out.“ Levi commanded with a enticing undertone.

Since the gun was still pointed at her, Eren had no other choice than stepping out into the light, leaving her shelter. She sent him a furious glare.

„How's your date with whisker-boy going?“ he asked, not affected by the look he received.

Eren opened her mouth and almost wanted to snap back that it was _not_ a date and that everybody should stop freaking out over her accompanying an old friend to dinner, but than she shut it again. Levi didn't need to know that since it didn't concern him.

„Good.“ she lied.

„Hm.“ he hummed. „And yet you're here with me, huh? I wonder what that could mean.“ His lips tugged into this smug mile that she'd love to whipe off his stupid arrogant face.

„I'm here 'cause you behaved suspicious!“ she crossed her arms, glaring at him. „What are you up to with this gun?“ She said, nodding at the weapon.

„Actually, nothing.“ he said, but the dangerous glint in his eyes betrayed his words. „Cleaning it just relaxes me. Now, is this the answer you came here for?“

„Why did you even show up here today?“ Eren snapped at him, ignoring his playful tone. „Is it your fucking goal to ruin my evening?“

„Sweetheart, please! How low do you think of me?“ Levi even faked an offended tone. „I'm here for the brats, of course. Children are our future, aren't they?“ He slowly pushed himself up and inched closer to her. „And just for the records, I could sweeten your evening if you just let me...“ his velvet voice almost lulled Eren, but she knew she had to get away from him. Now.

„Do without it!“ she growled, trying to fly past him. „I'm going back to-“

„You're not going anywhere, Eren.“ He interrupted, grabbing her wrist so that she couldn't run away anymore. His voice was cold, somehow pissed, and in a fit of nervousness she noticed that he had cocked his gun.

„What do you want, Levi?“ Eren asked with all the authority she could sum up in this situation.

The way he eyed her intensively sent a shiver down her spine „Oh, I can think of quite a few things that I want.“ Levi hummed, before he returned to his expressionles face again. „But let's start with you telling me about your investigation regarding the Titans. What did you find out?“

„I-“ she was dumbfounded for a brief moment, but quickly gathered herself again. „I didn't investigate!“

A sudden yank and a following push squezzed the air out of her lungs, and in the next second Eren found herself pinned against the wall. Levi trapped her between him and the cold surface of the mural. Though he was shorter than her and had to look up a bit, he was still fucking intimidating the way he pressed his pistole against her temple.

 

„Don't tell shit to me, Eren.“ he growled. Having her body this close underneath him made his patience wearing thin, but he needed to restrain himself and get the information from her first. „I know that your ears are getting red everytime you try to lie. Besides, it would be very unlikely for you to let the matter rest after I had told you about them.“

He could practically see how she was comprehending why he had talked with her about the topic back in his headquarters.

„Manipulative shit!“ she spat out, sending him an angry glare.

Ah, how he loved these sparkling green eyes.

„So?“ He applied more pressure pushing the gun at her head. Eren didn't respond, instead she pressed her lips to a firm line.

Apparantly she would need a bit more persuading.

„Hm,“ Levi let out a hum. „Don't wanna tell? So where do you want me to place the bullet?“ He trailed the pistole from her temple down Eren's throat, lifting her chin with the gun.

„Here?“ he asked softly and watched how she swallowed. She still kept silent.

„Over here?“ He traced the line down to her collarbone and chest, resting the weapon at the hollow between her perfectly formed breasts. Watching her breathing heavily aroused the desire in him to rip off this tempting black dress and make her shudder for very different reasons. But she still didn't say anything, and he needed to continue his threatening. Levi let the pistole wander further, carressed her body with it, before he pushed it emphatically at her stomach.

„Maybe here?“ he whispered and glanced up. Eren stared down at him, brows furrowed angrily as always, but her pupils were blown wide with lust.

 _Oh-ho, getting turned on by this?_ Levi thought satisfied to himself. _Pretty kinky, Special Agent._

He smirked at Eren. „Do you really want me to continue?“

The frown on her face deepened. „Fine, I get it!“ she hissed. She took a deep breath and then answered him. „I didn't found out anything.“

Levi cocked a brow at her incredulously.

„I didn't have access to the data at our system.“ Eren explained, her face grimacing.

„But you're a high ranking Agent,“ Levi said thoughtfully. „You _should_ have access, right?“

Eren nodded in response.

 

„Remarkable.“ Levi murmured to himself. For a brief moment he seemed to be lost in thoughts, and Eren contemplated about disarming him. But before she could even raise her hand, he turned his attention to her again. „You know what that means, don't you?“ he asked.

„Well, why don't you enlighten me?“ she asked dryly.

„Somebody in the Scouting Legion wants to cover up the truth.“ Levi ignored the sarcasm in her comment. „Did you talk to the investigating agent?“ he continued his interrogation.

„Yes.“ Eren stated. She was not eager to talk with Levi about the conversation she had had with Nile, but the mafia boss sent her a questioning gaze and pressed the muzzle harder against her stomach.

Eren sighed annoyed. „The only thing I found out was that Dok is even more of an ass than I thougt.“

A small smirk graced Levi's lips. „Ah, yes. I've heard about your little fight with this fuckwit. Sorry if my actions caused people to start gossiping about your work.“ The satisfied grin on Levi's face told her that he wasn't earnest with this apology.

His brazenness strained on her nerves again. „Well, at least you could stop sending me those ridiculous messages!“ Eren hissed. „It's hardly surprising that they put about rumours.“

The ravenhaired snickered, and Eren was on the brink to punch him in the face. What was so fucking funny about this?

„Oh c'mon, I just wanted to make sure you're allright after your little adventure.“ he mocked. „Guess I'm just the traditional type of guy.“

„ _Traditional_?“ she repeated, sending the weapon he still threatened her with a bewildered look. „Levi, last week you sent me a goddam gun! And it was fucking green! What is so traditional about that?!"

„Oi, I thought it'd be only fair since I took your gun the other day at the harbour.“ he said, amusment clearly visible in his grey eyes. Eren didn't know if he slowly showed more emotion in her presence or if she had just had gotten better at reading his face.

„What, you don't like it?“ he asked. „I thought green would match your eyes.“

„Who in the fucking hell matches a gun with their eyes?“ she started to lose her temper again. „And I certainly will not use a weapon some criminal gave me!“ she added.

The smirk on his face grew wider. Couldn't this bastard take her seriously, just one time?

„Yeah, instead you decide to show up in front of this criminal unarmed.“ Levi purred and bore the gun deeper into the fourpack of her stomach. „Not your smartest move, Eren.“

 

She growled in response and looked at him like she would jump him every second. Levi couldn't help it, he had to rub it in.

„Imagine all the things I could do to you now...“ he whispered with a low voice and was pleased to notice Eren shuddering. He didn't think that she was really afraid of him, not when her cheeks turned pink while she looked at him with this wide passionate eyes.

Fuck, he could hardly contain himself from bearing down with her and find out how she would look at him during other kind of activities.

„And now, back to the topic.“ he said hoarse. He needed to distract himself before he would put his fantasies into action. „What about Mr. Wagner here?“

Eren sent him a puzzled look. „What is with him?“ she asked confused. „He has nothing to do with the case.“

Levi's eyes flashed at her. „Oh, but he has many things to do with us, Eren.“ he stated low.

 

„Huh?“ Her confusion grew bigger. What was it with this situation? Was he implying what she thought he was?

„Are you two dating?“ he asked with a click of his tongue.

„That's not your fucking business!“ she said, averting his gaze. Somehow she felt angry and embarrassed at the same time.

But Levi was having none of this, with his free hand he grabbed her chin and forced Eren to face him again.

„So you're still playing innocent, huh?“ he whispered low. „Or maybe you want to make me jealous?“ He stared at her in an almost predatory way. „Now answer my fucking question, Eren. Do you like him?“

Levi's face was just a few inches away from hers now and she couldn't concentrate anymore. Her pulse quickened, and her knees became oddly weak. With clammy hands Eren supported herself against the wall. Why did he have to corner her like this? And why did everyone think they had the right to interrogate her about her lovelife all of sudden? She didn't like it at all, she didn't want to tell people about such things before she even figured them out herself.

On the other side it was her chance to rebuff Levi in a way even he would understand. Then he would leave her alone and she could finally concentrate on doing her job properly and arresting him. So yes, she would give it a go and lie.

„Y-yes I do!“ she stammered, heart pounding hard in her chest.

Much to Eren's surprise, Levi leaned back, let go of her chin and smirked in this annoying self-assured way. She blinked at him in confusion. This was not the reaction she had been expacting.

„Your ears, Eren.“ he purred satisfied. „They're red as fuck.“

Unconsciously she touched them, feeling the hotness of her shells.

_Well, shit._

"You lied to me.“ Levi whispered, and the hoarse voice vibrated in her mind. The images of weird dreams flashed up in her thoughts - Levi hovering over Eren,leaning down to her, moving _inside_ her-

The mafia leader drifted closer now, and all Eren could do was to look at him like a deer stuck in headlights. Where was her usual power of resistance? Why couldn't she move?

„I'm afraid I have to punish you.“ he murmured, staring at her with dark leering eyes.

Eren closed her eyes in anticipation of the entering bullet in her stomach, but instead of this she was confronted with the feeling of a very different pain. The sensation of Levi's lips on her exposed neck, his teeth breaking the sensitive skin, suddenly took over her mind. She raised her hands to shove him away, but she couldn't find the will to push him back as he began to lick the crook of her neck.

 

Levi's intention was to just bite Eren as a warning, and then let go of her after that. But as her body practically melted against his mouth and her breath hitched, he found it impossible to detach himself from the woman. Instead he sucked and nibbled the perfect soft skin appreciatively, defiling it with bruises, consuming all of her taste.

He could devour her right her and right now, and nobody, not even whisker-boy could stop him from doing so. Nobody could stop him from marking Eren, and nobody would doubt that she belonged to Levi, to Levi alone.

Eren's fingers curled into his chest, and he intensified his sucking. He traced the delicate throat with his tongue and teeth, when she suddenly let out a soft moan, and _fuck fuck fuck_ this sound was driving him fucking insane. It was all that he ever wanted to hear, and he needed more of it _right now_.

The gun in his hand was useless by now, how could he shoot her when she felt so hot and warm and soft underneath him, and so Levi stored it away, encircling Eren's waist with one hand while running the other one through her soft brown locks. The familiar fruity fragrance and the sweet taste of her skin made him dizzy, he totally lost himself in the experience of Eren breathing heavily under his touches. Biting down gently once more, he felt her back arching, body pressing hungrily against his own, and the excitement in his stomach grew, causing a certain part of his body to respond to the arousment he was feeling.

Levi sank his teeth deeper into her skin, biting and sucking bruises that would show everybody to back the fuck off from Eren.

 _Mine. Mine alone. She is all mine._ The words resonated in his mind like a mantra.

„Eren!“ the high-pitched yelp that sounded from the hallway startled them both, and Levi could feel Eren's body tensing. He looked up at her, and for a heartbeat their gazes connected, big green eyes with half-lidded grey ones, a silent astonishment readable in both of them. Then she seemed to catch up with the situation, eyes widening even more, and she shoved him back, staring at him in shock.

 

„Eren where are-“ Armin ran around the corner, stopping bewildered at the sight in front of him. „...you.“ he finished his sentence with a flickering voice.

Behind him Hange ran into his back, but he couldn't care less. The view of Eren and Levi standing in front of him, both breathing rapidly, pupils delated like they were on drugs spoke for itself. They had caugth them doing … yeah, what the fuck were they doing here?

Levi was the first who gathered himself again, he picked up the jacket hanging above the armrest of the couch.

„Guess we're finished here.“ he said casually, sending Eren, Armin and Hange a last look before he walked away. „Have a nice evening.“

Armin stared after him before he turned his attention at the agent again. She was busy adjusting her clothes and rearranging her hair with trembling hands.

„Eren, are you okay?“ he rushed towards her, worries written all over his face.

„I-I... yes.“ Eren stuttered.

„Oh my god, what was that just now?“ Hange approached her, visibly torn between concern and excitement. „What happened, Eren?“

The brunet stared at her friends, eyes wide, cheeks flushed. „I-I have no idea.“ she said dumbfounded. She began to explain why she had followed him, when Armin discovered the bruises and bite marks on her throat. They formed a perfect round line upon her neck.

The psychologist trailed his fingers along them, piecing together the puzzle in his head.

Eren had stopped talking and looked down at him bewildered.

"Of course," Armin murmured absentmindly. "It all makes sense now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god sorry, this chapter has gotten ridiculously long, but I just couldn't stop writing. Next time I will try to contain myself and make it shorter.  
> Anyway, next chapter will take some time. I have a thing coming up in RL and I'm freaking out about it everytime. It's stupid because I think it will all go well, but I guess I'll not be able to do something productive till it's over. So maybe it will take three, four weeks? Please bear with me ;-;


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Armin tells Eren his ideas regarding the traitor, but she isn't entirely convinced. While she still struggles with the hurt and betrayal, she suddenly has to face a situation she'd never imagined would happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew, finally, here's chapter 7. Long again, but with plot, so much plot! Some of you already figured out who the traitor is, and ya'll get a virtual hug, 'cause it was very entertaining to read about your theories ^^  
> Sorry for the long wait, but the thing I had coming up didn't go very well, and now I have to wait longer. And even if it is false alarm, which I fucking hope so, I plan to start my first bachelor thesis next week, so next updates will be even more irregularly (I'm sorry ._.). Anyway, as long as it is in my power, I'll continue this story, so don't be worried. I have way too much fun writing it!
> 
> Also, thanks for your comments, kudos, bookmarks etc., you really make my day with it! 
> 
> And finally, thanks to my new beta mana_izumi399 you don't have to deal with my shitty grammar anymore (~▽~)

The relaxing sound of rain dripping against the car window helped Eren to calm down. She leaned her head against the glass and enjoyed the cool surface, trying to get her swirling mind clear. The weird incidence with Levi was almost an hour ago now, but her knees still felt weak, and she was glad that she didn't have to concentrate on driving a car at the moment, because right now her mind was spinning wild.

After Armin had found them, he had insisted Eren to say her goodbye to Thomas and then placed her into his car immediately. He honestly had been worried that she would walk in front of a car or something like that in her current state. The drive had been silent for the first minutes, except for a snoring Hange on the back seat and the soothing classical music from the car radio. Armin first headed to the scientists house and he and Eren had carried Hange's drunken ass up the stairs till she lay in bed, safe and sleeping soundly. After both of them sat down in Armin's little Fiat again, he finally found the opportunity to start the talk he should have had with Eren a long time ago.

„So, Eren.“ he drawled as he started the engine again, driving out of the parking lot in front of Hanges house. „How do you feel now? “

The agent sighed deeply as she thought about it for some seconds, replying with a simple but honest „Weird.“

Armin glanced over to her, his blue eyes scanning her face. „You know, a bit more explanation would be useful.“ he said.

Eren closed her eyes and laid her head against the window once more. „I... I really don't know, okay? I'm just... confused.“ She really had no idea how to put the swirling emotions inside her into proper words. The turmoil in her stomach had not stopped yet and somehow she could still feel Levi's lips on her exposed neck.

„Confused?“ Armin probed.

„You know, the thing is...“ Eren still searched for the right words to describe her feelings. „When he came to me, I didn't fight back as usual. I let him do all these things without trying to stop him.“ she said with a low almost guilty voice.

Her best friend let out an understanding hum, and mulled the thought in his mind. „And why didn't you fight back?“ he asked eventually.

Eren fidgeted uncomfortably in her seat. „Because I kind of … liked it.“ she admitted almost whispering. The thought had struck her as soon as Levi had left already, but it was embarrassing as hell to admit it out loud. She could usually spill her guts to Armin but this time it was hard and made her feel a little ashamed. Eren glanced up at him and watched his thoughtful expression. „Why are you not shocked?“ she asked puzzled.

Armin just shrugged his shoulders. „I told you I wouldn't judge you.“ he said simply. „And it was pretty predictable that such a thing would happen...“ he muttered under his breath.

„Predictable?“ Eren snapped, forgetting her embarrassment for a brief second.

She just received a sigh. „In a weird way you both are fitting together very well, Eren.“ Armin said. As he received a raised brow from her, he elaborated further. „Both of you are determined and strong, and both of you would sacrifice yourself to achieve your goals.“ Eren opened her mouth to object, but Armin indicated her to let him finish speaking. „You know it's true, Eren. Most of the people are intimidated by dangerous situations, but you and him are practically gravitated by them. You need thrills and kicks to feel alive, and the other one can give you exactly these things. But while you are practically bursting of anger and passion, he always seems to remain levelheaded and unfazed. You're like the two complementing sides of one coin. That's why you're both attracted to each other.“

Eren closed her mouth again, as she couldn't find the arguments to disagree. She sighed and looked out of the window, eyes not fixated on anything as there was nothing but pitch blackness. „Armin, what am I supposed to do now?“ she mumbled exaggerated.

„Depends.“ her friend replied. „Do you like him?“

„Hell no!“ Eren hastened to say. „It's more like a … physical attraction, I guess.“

Armin gave her a skeptical look, but she glared at him and he didn't pry any further.

„Well then,“ he said thoughtfully. „do you want to transfer the task?“

Firmly Eren shook her head. „I can't.“ she declared. „That would be like giving up, wouldn't it? Moreover there is nobody that would be capable of catching Levi except for me. I have the skills, and I have the spirit to do so. I swore to annihilate the Wings of Freedom, and I won't give up because of such a stupid thing.“

She had spoken these words with such a determination that Armin wasn't able to oppose. „It's entirely up to you.“ he said instead, though he was still looking like he was not fond of the idea. „But be careful, okay?“

„I will, don't worry.“ Eren sighed annoyed and rolled her eyes.

„I'm being serious, Eren!“ Armin warned in a stern voice. „Watch yourself, and keep your distance to him. And please, whatever you do, you must not kiss Levi, okay?“

He received a derisive huff from her. „Thanks for the advice, but I wasn't planning to do so.“ she said.

„Maybe, I just wanted to point out that the force of oxytocin, which is produced while you're touching and kissing another person, could get you-“

„Armin, didn't you say you have to tell me something?“ Eren quickly changed the topic. She didn't have the nerve to listen to another rambling about sexual attraction between two people, not again. She had heard this talk way to often from him.

„Oh, right!“ Armin called. He had been so engrossed by the topic that he almost forgot the most important thing.

„So, what was it?“ Eren asked as she detached her gaze from the window, turning her attention to her friend again.

„I know who the traitor is.“

The agent snapped her head at Armin. „And you couldn't begin our talk with this information?!“ she asked incredulously. „Then tell me, goddammit! And how did you find out?“

„Actually, I conceived suspicion since some weeks now, but I wasn't sure until today.“ he explained.

Eren became more and more curious. „Today?“ she asked puzzled. „What was different today?“

„Take a good look at your neck, Eren.“ Armin said and gave her a pointed look. „What do you see?“

Confused she flapped down the sun shield of Armin's car with the implemented mirror and examined the discolored skin thorough. „Uhm,“ She had no idea what Armin was talking about. „Bruises?“ she tried clueless.

Her friend clicked his tongue. „And what does the array remind you of?“ he encouraged her.

Eren wondered at such a strange question. She narrowed her eyes as she trailed the line of bruises along her throat. Was there really a special array? To her it looked like Levi had just sucked randomly at her skin. Maybe, with much fantasy, you could say that it was shaped like a circle line-

Then it hit her.

„No!“ Eren gasped as the realization sank into her.

Of course, _this_ had been different. She hadn't put it on because it was apathetic to her to wear expensive jewelry on a charity-event.

With wide eyes she stared at the bruise-formed necklace around her neck.

 

\---

 

„Sooo Levi, care to explain the situation to me? It looked like you were about to devour our pure little Eren!“

Levi massaged the bridge of his nose. This noisy person across from him was in his office for not even a minute, and they got on his nerves at record speed already. „Maybe I could have get to that point if Arlert didn't have to show up!“ he sighed irritated. „Why was he even there, it was your task to take care we would be alone.“ He lifted his gaze and glared at widely opened brown eyes.

„Don't blame me, I did my best!“ Hange chirped, attempting to send him an innocent smile but failing miserably and ends up giving him a freakish clown smirk. „But Armin is a hell of a genius. He sensed right away that you'd be there, and after Eren told him and didn't come back he insisted to search for her. He would have called the cops if he didn't find her within the next minutes.“ she said, her voice overly excited as usual.

Levi waved her off, and stared into space for a few seconds. „What happened after I left?“ he asked.

Hange shrugged in response. „Not much. Eren made sure that nobody would see your little artwork on her skin, and said her goodbye to Thomas.“ She couldn't hold back a giggle as she saw Levi's eyebrow twitching at the mention of this name. „After that they brought me home – Armin exaggerated and said I'd be too drunk to unlock my door alone - and then they went straight home, as far as I know.“ Hange listed the events she could still remember.

„Do you know if she'll see that fuckwad again?“ Levi asked, disdain clearly audible in his voice.

„Thomas?“ Hange drawled out, enjoying the way his face darkened even more. „I don't know. Maybe. She didn't talk much on our way home.“ she added.

Levi was quiet for a few seconds and seemed to be lost in thoughts, before he turned his attention to Hange once more. „Oi, shitty glasses. Doesn't your fucked up brain can think of a way I can get rid of him?“ he asked. „You know, without killing him.“

For a brief moment Hange considered to tease him a little further - would serve him right for calling her names again - but she decided against it. She knew Levi wasn't in the best mood lately, and she didn't want to test his patience. After all she didn't forget what he had done to the guy last week who just called him „Shorty“ once, and she really wasn't keen to have a taste on his boot in her face.

No thanks, not again.

Also, watching her usually tough and cold boss attempt to win Eren’s heart was almost to endearing to watch. “I’m afraid you have to be patient, Levi.“ she said softly. „There's nothing you can do about it at the moment.“

The man let out a huff. „Tch, I believe there are quite a few things I could do about it.“ he said with a dark expression on his face. „I just haven't decided which one, yet.“

Mikasa, who had sat beneath them quietly, working through papers with building- and site plans of a nearby banking institution, looked up. „No Levi, it's Eren's decision if she wants to go out with Thomas.“ she said, completely unaffected by the piercing stare she received from him. „Don't act like a five-year-old that got his favorite toy taken away. Leave her some space.“

Hange cackled at the nasty look Levi sent his sister, but soon calmed herself as she was kicked hard under the table. „I'm sorry, I'm sorry.“ she gasped, still grinning wildly. „But Mikasa's right. The more you'll fluster Eren, the more stubborn she'll act, which means she'll avoid you and will try to distract herself with Thomas.“

She opened her mouth to ramble on, but Mikasa had already spoken up. „Also, you're handling it the wrong way. If you keep chasing and cornering Eren, it will get you nowhere.“ The raven-haired woman eyed Levi thoughtfully „It may have worked with your former victims, but she's not like them.“

„Did you just call my ex-lovers _victims_?“

Mikasa plainly ignored the indignant hiss from her brother and stored the papers in front of her into a neat pile. „Can't you see it, Levi?“ she sighed. „Eren is not the prey, she is a hunter. Just like you are. If you're genuinely interested in her, you have to give up part of your control on the situation. She has to take the next step.“

The mafia leader huffed, crossed his arms and pressed his feet against the table in front of him. „And just how am I supposed to do this?“ he asked and rocked his chair backwards with a perfect balance. „She keeps going on and on about this whole enemy-thing.“

Hange snickered again and dodged a sharp pencil Levi had thrown after her. „Ouch, Levi, be careful or else you'll actually hurt somebody with that!“ She received a look from him that said this was exactly what he was intending, but she wasn't bothered by it. „Our little Eren might be a stubborn girl, but I'm quite sure she likes you.“ Hange quickly added, before Levi could pelt her again with something. „Yesterday I caught her staring at your mug shot on the wall of our conference room with this cute little frown on her face.“ The insane smile graced her lips again as she drooled over it. „And then she even blushed a bit, oh my god it was so _adorable_!“

„Hange, for fucks sake, stop squealing, you're too damn noisy!“ Levi groaned. He still rocked his chair while he stared into space, the usual dark frown on his face. „If Eren just wasn't too stubborn to make a move ...“ he muttered to himself.

Hange rolled her eyes dramatically. „Then make her do it.“ she sighed. „Jeez, Levi, use your brain, not your dick!“

 

\---

 

The cold wind blew right into her face, and Eren adjusted the scarf around her neck before she checked the time on her phone once again.

She sighed annoyed as she looked around the dark car park. Hange would be late again. The scientist had noticed that Eren felt like shit the last days, which was no surprise after the incident at the charity-event. Especially after her talk with Armin. The agent still couldn't wrap her mind around what her friend had told her, and part of her didn't want to believe he was right. But she knew better. Armin had always been right, and especially in this case the logic of his conclusions had been flawless. It was just - she felt deeply disturbed by the thought of being betrayed like this for so long. Eren thought she had been prepared for the moment she would find out who the betrayer was, but it had disturbed her deeply. The fact that she had been lied to again, that she had lived in an rotted surrounding without even noticing it had made her feel like throwing up. When she spotted Hange bouncing towards her from across the parking spot, Eren quickly pushed these thoughts to the back of her mind. Now was not the time to think about that.

„Yahoooo!“ the scientist called out as she reached her and clutched her into a tight embrace. „How are you, my dear? Feeling better?“ Hange examined her face like it was an interesting exhibit in one of her morbid books, an enraptured smile on her face. „Your skin is a little bit hot, and you're eye bags are heavier than usual, are you stressed right now? Or are you running on adrenaline as we are in a dark hallway?“ she chattered.

„Hange, stop analyzing me, you're worse than Armin!“ Eren rolled her eyes and started pacing down the poorly lighted street. „Besides, I'm a hard-boiled Special Agent, I'm certainly not scared because of some boring parking lot!“

„Hm, and yet you keep getting into trouble on a daily basis, Eren.“ Hange grinned cheerfully.

They wandered down the street, mocking at each other and chatting playfully while they were heading for the restaurant Eren had Hange invited to. As they were about to turn around the next corner, Eren suddenly shushed the rambling scientist and mentioned her to stop.

„Didn't you hear this?“ she whispered towards Hange.

The scientist only sent her a puzzled gaze, trying to figure out what Eren meant. But before she could explain any further, the agent was grabbed from behind and yanked into the darkness, away from Hanges field of vision. „Eren! Oh my god, Eren!“ she screamed panicking.

She wanted to run after her friend, but was hold back by a deep, unfamiliar voice.

„No wrong movements, Dr. Zoe.“ A person behind her snarled. „Or otherwise we'll slice Agent Yeager up.“

Hange looked around, trying to find the source of the voice, and was startled to see more and more shadows lingering in the dark. Her wide eyes had adjusted to the particular pitch darkness, and she was able to recognize one of the shades holding Eren back in an tight embrace, pushing a sharp knife menacingly against her throat. Hange didn't hesitate further, she reached into the inside of her jacket and whipped out a gun.

„If you do her any harm, I'll blow you up.“ she said with a sudden coldness in her voice that made Eren shiver. „All of you.“

They all stared at each other, neither of them willing to lower their weapons. The look in Hange's eyes was hard and unyielding, not even in the slightest comparable to her usual glint of cheerfulness and curiosity.

Finally one of the dark figures spoke up again. „Call your boss.“ they ordered Hange to do. „He might be interested that we have Agent Yeager.“

The scientist clenched her teeth, considering to just start the shooting and eliminate this bunch of assholes. She had no doubt that it were the Titans who wanted to kidnap Eren again. But this time, she would not let them, she'd do anything to stop them.

„Hange“, Eren coughed as the knife pushed firmer against the thin skin of her neck. „Do what they say. Call Erwin.“

„No, not Smith.“ the dark voice said again, and Eren's attacker yanked at her hair to emphasize the urge of their words. „Your _real_ boss.“

Hange deliberated a few seconds, before she slowly reached out to grab her phone. It was no use, she had to blow her cover in order to save the agent. She pressed the speed-dial button on her mobile phone and waited till she heard the sound of someone picking up. All the while she never lowered her gun.

„What is it?“ Hange could hear Günthers deep voice on the other end of the phone line.

„It's Hange.“ she stated quickly, not wasting any time. „Listen, I'm kind of in trouble. Eren is getting kidnapped again, we're in a dark corner downtown, approximately 10 attackers, but I can't make out every one of them. Call Levi.“ Hange said. As she glanced up she was able to see the look of hurt and betrayal in Eren's eyes, and her heart clenched. So the moment had come. After years of disguise her friend had finally realized that she had been the traitor that ruined their work constantly. But Hange hadn't come to the agency to have fun and make friends, her task was more important than her personal happiness. Still, she never had meant to hurt Eren, and she felt like a piece of shit as she was getting this look of disappointment by these bright honest eyes.

„I cannot reach Levi.“ Günthers voice tore Hange out of her thoughts. „He has gone on a meeting with Mikasa and Petra, and they seem to have no reception there.“

„Goddammit!“ the scientist cursed. „Then put a trace on us and send another team!“ she demanded.

A few rustling noises later, Günther spoke up again. „That's odd.“ he said. „Hange, are you sure Eren is wearing the necklace? The chip is located at the Scouting Legion Tower.“

The woman furrowed her brows. „I'm not sure, but we-“

„And as far as I know“ Gunther interrupted her, „our spies reported that the Titans are having a great meeting right now uptown, and it's nearly impossible that they could set off enough people to pull of something like that.“

Hange sighed, and then a big smile spread on her face, one that never reached her eyes. „Ah, I see.“ she said with a soft voice and ended the call.

She looked up and was not surprised by the gun in Eren's hands, pointed into her direction.

„So it was a trap, eh?“ she asked with a insane giggle, despite feeling no real amusement at all.

Eren's face reflected a mixture of hate and contempt as she stepped forwards, shielded by the other figures that slowly put down their hoods and aimed their weapons also towards Hange.

„Drop the gun and put your hands up, Hange.“ Eren commanded sharply. „Your acts of crime are going to come to an end, your coming with me.“

 

\---

 

Hange looked around her and sighed.

It was just too fucking boring. The interrogation room where she was locked in didn't have anything to entertain her for the time waiting. No book, no paper, not even a fucking pen she could click from time to time with. She had always imagined that it was the hardest part for the suspect to contain from telling the agents all of their brilliant tricks and plans, because honestly, who doesn't like to brag around about this? But no, it was the goddamn waiting.

Nothing to do. Nothing at all. How could somebody stand this for hours? She began to hum a melody and tried to analyze the situation from before in her mind instead, maybe it could kill some time. Eren had been really good at trapping her. Hange didn't imagine her to be able to lie in such a convincing manner. She had watched Eren's steps over the years, from the determined but clumsy young rookie to the successful, squad-leading Special Agent she was now. Hange smiled nostalgic; her little girl had grown up and really was able to kick some asses now. What a metamorphosis.

As the door flung open, the scientist's train of thoughts was interrupted. She looked up to see an angry frowning Eren slamming the door shut again, slumping down on one of the chairs across the table. Hange opened her mouth to say something, anything to reassure Eren that they still were friends and that it hadn't been her goal to betray her, but the agent didn't let her time to do so. Before she was able to say something, Eren slammed a labeled plastic bag on the table. Hange gulped as she recognized the necklace she gave her some months ago. Eren didn't pussyfoot around the bush.

„Where did you get this jewelry from?“ she asked with a cold, detached voice.

„I told you, I got it years ago from my mother and didn't wear it actually.“ Hange quickly said. „Eren, please let us-“

„Bullshit.“ the agent growled as she whipped out another, smaller plastic bag. The look on her face was close to murderous. „Did your mother also implant this tracking advice in there?“ She glared at Hange while she tossed the bag with the small chip inside across the table. „You got it from _him_ , didn't you?“ the agent spat out in disgust. „Levi ordered you to make me wear it, so the Wings of Freedom would always know where I am when I hunt them.“

Hange looked down on her fingers that had began to fidget around almost nervously, and the room was silent for a few moments.

„No.“ she finally objected with a low voice. „The tracking advice was my idea. Levi just wanted to make you a birthday present, but he knew you would never accept something coming from him, so he asked me to give it to you.“ A bitter smile spread on her lips. „When I suggested to implant the chip, Levi rejected the idea immediately, but I did it nevertheless. He almost strangled me as he found out that I disobeyed his orders, but as the Titans attacked you at the harbor he noticed how useful the tracking advice was.“ Hange looked up to Eren, and this insane glint had come back to her eyes again. „Without my technology, Levi and Mikasa would not have been able to save you in time. It was for your own good, we needed to protect you!“ She flashed her signature grin, desperately trying to convince Eren of her good intentions.

But the agent struggled hard to keep her temper. „I don't need your fucking bullshit protection!“ she couldn't help but shout at Hange. „I have no idea why Levi is so keen to protect his enemy, but I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself!“ The grin on Hange's face really made her angry, she just couldn't understand why this woman was not able to distinguish between right and wrong, and it made her sick. Didn't she see how much she had hurt Eren? „You disgust me, Hange!“ the agent hissed, and finally she could see a painful glint in the scientist's eyes.

Good. She needed to know how it felt to be hurt and insulted by the people you considered your friends. „Now tell me, why did you trait us?“ Eren asked angry.

„Please, sweet-“ Hange quickly bit her tongue as she received the most livid glare possible from the agent. „Please, Eren, it was never my intent to hurt you or the others. I genuinely like all of you, really.“ Her voice never faltered, but Eren could see tears welling up in Hange's eyes. „But I was a member of the Wings of Freedom even before I started this job here. It has nothing to do with you.“

Eren swallowed down the wave of sympathy that creeped up inside her. Hange could cry as much as she wanted, it would not change the fact that she had betrayed Eren. „Why.“ the agent repeated. „Tell me, why do you work for Levi.“

The tears streamed down her face, but nevertheless Hange smiled widely. „Because I believe in him.“ she said simply.

Eren stared incredulously at her, apparently not understanding what she meant.

„I experienced so many people not worth my trust, Eren. Did you look outside your window once? The world is cruel. And people are even crueler. They lie to each other, they betray, steal and murder. And they all do it with the most polite smile on their face.“ Hange said sadly.

Eren had a hard time to contain herself from yelling at her because _she_ was the one who lied, she betrayed, she stole and maybe she even murdered. But Eren kept silent, she needed to get more information.

„Don't get me wrong, dear, I still love humans. They are such interesting creatures.“ Hange continued explaining. „But I grew tired of this sick system, where those with the most wicket minds are in the highest positions. That was when I met Levi.“ Lost in reverie, Hange's grin widened. „He was awful and stoic and told so many jokes about shit and - well, he was just Levi. But he was honest with me. I soon realized I could trust him, and I could identify with his values and goals, and so I followed him.“ She looked up at Eren again. „Levi is a great leader, you know.“

The agent still sat in her seat, arms crossed, and pinned Hange with a hard gaze. Even if the woman just made a confession, Eren couldn't believe it entirely. Armin had told her the whole story: how he got wary of Hange as she gave her the necklace, despite telling the psychologist she would have no piece of jewelry left at home earlier, because she used to melt all down for an experiment when she was a teenager. How he watched her behavior after Eren didn't come back from the harbor, when she would be worried and tense like all of them around the others, but smile insanely to herself as she thought nobody would see her. Eren remembered how Mikasa told her that they had a physician examine her after she had been drugged, and she had no doubt that Hange was said physician.

Armin had suspected the scientist for a few weeks now, but he couldn't accept it till he found evidences. So he got Hange drunk at the charity-event, planned to winkle the truth out of her with a few catchy questions, but despite her odd glances towards Eren and Thomas she hadn't behaved suspicious enough. Of course Armin hadn't been satisfied with this, and so he searched Hange's bag for further indices as the scientist went to toilet, and he was quite surprised to find a silver-colored beretta in it. But the finality of his conclusions had just sank into him when he saw the bruises on Eren's skin that had the shape of a necklace, as if Levi wanted to remind her to wear his gift again.

Eren continued interrogating Hange all night long, but she had no success. The woman just kept on and on about Levi being a great guy and that she didn't meant to harm anybody from Eren's squad, but that was not useful for her at all. So after a few hours, when the sun had already began to rise above the roofs of the city, the agent decided to let the matter rest for today and allow her comrades and herself some rest.

Eren felt the tiredness sweeping over her as she handcuffed Hange again and began to walk her to the provisory prison cell in the sixth floor, accompanied by the rest of her squad. They were going down the hallway, past their office where she had had countless little chatters with Hanges over the last years.

They all had been a lie.

Eren tried to block out the tight feelings of hurt and betrayal in her chest, she needed to concentrate on her job now. Soon she would be home and could think about this as much as she wanted.

Eren just let out an exaggerated sigh, as suddenly all the lights in the building went out at the same time, and they all stopped thunderstruck in the pitch darkness. Not caring about the surprised gasped behind her, Eren immediately whipped out her gun and tried to stare through the blackness.

„What- what's that supposed to mean?“ Sasha exclaimed shocked behind her.

A loud buzz resounded, and the red emergency backup light of the Scouting Legion tower turned on. Just a few seconds later the obnoxious noise of the alarm shrilled, and Eren knew that this was not a usual blackout.

„The emergency power turned on.“ Eren explained, nerves already thrilled. „Somebody must have cut the main and broke into the building. We're under attack.“

From the corner of her eyes she tried to catch Hanges reaction, but the scientist kept a straight face. The alarm signal continued, and Eren turned around to her squad. „Listen up, we're switching to emergency plan now. Sasha, Connie, you're taking Hange back to the interrogation room and lock yourselves in there. Be sure to tie her up properly.“ she commanded, before she turned to Armin. „You'll go meet up with the others at the safety point.“ He nodded in reply, and Eren continued. „Jean, you're coming with me. We'll search for Erwin, hopefully he has more information what's going on here.“

The team split off, and Eren and Jean practically ran the stairs up to the ninth floor where Erwin's office was seated. They were about to turn around the corner, as they bumped into the big blond man. With quick words he informed them about the situation - apparently the alarm was set off down in the basement, near the evidence room, and now they were constrained to look after the cause. Whatever it was, they had to be careful - whoever managed to break into such a heavily-guarded tower like the Scouting Legion headquarter had to be extremely dangerous.

The three of them just wanted to head downstairs as a rattling noise resonated from the direction of Erwin's personal bureau, followed by a muffled curse.

Without any hesitation Eren sprinted around the corner to detect the cause of the noise, but she stopped dead in her tracks. At the end of the hallway two figures just flitted through the dark office door, figures that Eren realized instantly.

It were Oluo and the tall blond one from Levi's squad. Eld Jinn, if Eren remembered the name on the report from last week correctly.

„Oh shit.“ Oluo murmured, „Shouldn't they be in the base-“ he stopped as he bit his tongue, and his hands flew to his face to cover his mouth.

„Erwin, Jean! It's the Wings of Freedom!“ Eren shouted and wanted to cock her gun, but Eld had already lifted his own weapon and shot at the emergency light, and Eren stood in darkness once more. She heard the footsteps of her colleagues behind her and stumbled forwards through the blackness, but in the next moment she caught a glimpse of light beneath Erwin's office. Apparently one of the criminals had opened the door to another staircase.

Eren hesitated no second, she instantly followed them and ran after the two. She just caught a glimpse of brown boots disappearing on the stairs to the next higher floor, and a red strain of blood on the stair leading downstairs, most likely coming from Oluo. Erwin and Jean had appeared behind Eren, guns already whipped ready for use, and looked around questioning.

„They divided!“ Eren called out. „Oluo disappeared downstairs, and Eld tries to flee upwards!“

„You and Jean, you will follow Eld, and I'll catch Oluo!“ Erwin commanded with his usual aura of authority.

Eren, who had already jumped on the first steps, just nodded and continued sprinting up the stairway. Behind her she could hear Jeans heavy footsteps, and Eren exerted herself to up the tempo. She just had to get to know what the two men had looked for in Erwin's office, and the prospect of finally catching a member of Levi's squad spurred her even more. As Eren arrived on the next landing, she barely saw Eld slipping through a door on the opposite wall. She ran after him and found herself on the small roof terrace, where usually the younger agents met for secret smoking breaks.

Today the concreted area was empty, except for Eld, Eren and Jean, who just arrived coughing behind his squad leader.

Meanwhile Eld had already climbed on a projection on the wall. The next building was approximately 4 meters apart, and Eren was sure the man wouldn't dare to hop over such a dangerous abyss. She was about to raise her gun and force him to surrender, when she noticed that he got out two small brown pistols. But instead of threatening his pursuers with it, Eld aimed them towards the roof of the opposite house. As he pulled the triggers, wiry ropes shot out of the barrels and to Eren's biggest surprised they pulled the man sharply to the next roof.

Eren stared at this scenario with her jaw dropped, but quickly gathered herself. She needed to act if she wanted to catch Eld, and she needed to do it quickly. The determined look returned to her face, and with a deep inhale she stepped forward to the projection.

Jean, who knew her good enough to realize what she was about to do, gasped behind her. „Eren, are you fucking suicidal!“ he shouted. „That's too dangerous! It's not worth it!“

Angrily she turned around to him. „If you want to stay back and let them win, fine.“ she shot back. „But I won't fail without even trying!“

Eren ignored the feeling of fear inside her chest and concentrated on the rush of adrenaline instead. She gulped, took a run-up and pushed herself up from the wall with a strong jump and just landed on the other roof. With a pounding heart she looked up and saw that Eld was already flying - or whatever you could call this weird shit he was doing - to the next roof, and so she quickly ran after him.

It was difficult to keep up a decent pace without slipping and falling, but Eren stayed focused and managed it to close the gap towards Eld. The gangster had already noticed that he was still chased and put his odd maneuver gear into action once more to hop on the next roof. Though her lungs burned like hell she continued sprinting, dodging obstacles and climbing up to the housetop as well. Even if she was fast and skilled, Eld had a big advantage with his equipment, and after a few exhausting minutes pursuit she just saw his blond mass of hair disappearing into the deep as he jumped down. Quickly Eren ran after him, just to stop at the point he must have dashed down.

She looked into a abandoned old backyard, just behind a warehouse. The back door was open and swayed slightly in the wind. Eren looked around, but as expected she was not able to see anyone. Of course Jean didn't follow her, as she was pretty far away from the Scouting Legion Tower now. She could practically hear Armin's voice scolding her for what she was about to do next, but she just had to try. Nobody could expect her coming this far and then turn on her heels, just because she had no comrade at her site right now. She would be careful and alert, and it would all go well. That was what Eren told herself as she climbed down the rain gutter.

A few seconds later she stood in the backyard and muffled a coughing. She was somehow worn and tired out from the night full of interrogation and the following pursuit over the top of the roofs, but she still ran on adrenaline and was pumped to catch at least Eld. Eren looked around once more, before a determined glint flashed in her eyes.

She slipped through the back door and found herself in a dark machinery room, gun already whipped again. Carefully she sneaked through the gap of two big heating pipes , listening if she'd hear any kind of suspicious noises. But she could only recognize the hissing of the outdated pipes. Arriving at the next door, she almost wanted to go further, as she heard a loud creak behind her.

Startled Eren whipped around, just in time to see how the back door snapped shut. The hairs on her neck stood up immediately, and her pulse quickened. The feeling of being watched creeped up her spine, and cautiously she stepped back towards the door. It was too dark to overview every corner of the room, and suddenly the realization sank into her that maybe it was not the best idea to leave Jean behind.

Eren had managed it once more to get into a deep shit dangerous situation without even thinking about it.

Another creak across the room let her jump into the air, and slowly she stepped backwards, considerate to not make any unnecessary noise. Jean had been right, she had the tendency to act suicidal. Sometimes, when she had a target in front of her, she just focused on her goal, not keeping track enough of her surroundings. One day this reckless behavior would be the end of her.

Suddenly she felt something soft caressing her left cheek.

A brief second and a mini-heart attack later she figured out that it was only an old rope hanging from one of the steaming boilers above her, and she let out a relieved breath. The agent scolded herself internally for being so easily scared and wanted to start her way back, when suddenly unyielding arms were wrapped around her from behind, trapping her own arms to her body. Before she could even squeal in surprise, she was yanked back. Her blood curdled, and her body tensed for a heartbeat, before she began to struggle against the strong grip. She kicked and thrashed around, but it was no use. The attacker just amplified his embrace till she wasn't able to move anymore. She could feel his hot breathing against her neck.

„Gotcha.“ Levi's hoarse voice caressed Eren's ear.

She gulped; this was the situation she had wanted to avoid so much. Being this close to him let her already racing pulse quicken even more.

„Levi!“ she breathed out while she fought harder to get out of his grip. As the mafia boss let out a deep chuckle she placed a particularly strong kick at what she assumed to be his shinbone. Levi loosened his arms around her, but as Eren wanted to swirl around he managed to grip her wrist and twist her right arm behind her back. The agent bit back a groan, and she was horrified to feel the gun being yanked away from her hand. She quickly jumped backwards, careful to leave enough space between them, till they stood across each other, several meters apart.

Eren breathed heavily as she massaged her sore wrist; more and more she felt exhausted. She looked up to see Levi eying her, the captured gun still in his hands. Pondering over how she could get back her weapon, she was startled as he threw it carelessly over his shoulder, till it landed far away behind one of the rusty heating tanks, out of her sight.

„You won't need this anymore.“ he said casually, reaching for his own gun.

 _Oh no, he's going to kill me._ She thought horrified, eyes widening.

Eren knew that it had to come to an end eventually. She didn't indulge in the illusion that she could overpower and disarm him at the same time in her current state, and she was aware of the fact that the building was probably surrounded by several of his subordinates, only waiting for the point to step in and support their boss if anything went wrong.

„Listen sweetheart, this whole game of cat-and-mouse was very entertaining for me, but now I grew tired of it.“ Levi said with this deep velvet voice that always caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand up. „Today I have different things in mind.“ he added, and his voice dripped even lower as he stared at her.

She didn't really listen to him as she already planned on how to kick his ass.

 _I will not go without a good fight_ , Eren encouraged herself and brushed a bang out of her face.

But to her greatest surprise Levi didn't aim his pistol at her, he just tossed it away like her gun and didn't care about it landing rattling on the floor.

„I won't need this shit either.“ he said with a smirk.

Eren stared at him in disbelief, trying to catch up with the situation. Wasn't he supposed to run away or kill her? What the hell was going on? None of the lessons back in here training days could have prepared her for such an odd criminal.

„Are you on crack?“ the agent blurted out confused.

Levi smiled to himself as he answered. „Eren, it's time to deepen our relationship, don't you think?“ he asked, ignoring her question from before.

„ _What_?“ She frowned at him, completely dumbfounded.

He now was advancing her, slowly, one step after another, and after a brief moment of panic Eren awakened from her stiffness and lifted her fists combat-ready.

Levi stopped, his eyelids settled lower as his gaze lingered on her. „Hm, you need a bit foreplay to get in the mood?“ he asked with an unreadable face. „Well, that's fine be me. Then come and get me.“

Eren didn't need to be told twice, she lunged forward to land a good punch on his face, but he blocked the attack effortlessly and lifted his knee into her stomach at the same time. Eren gasped from the pain and jumped backwards. She didn't give herself any time to recover, she just swung around and raised her leg to place a strong kick at Levi's waist, satisfied to hear a cracking noise under her foot.

But she didn't have time to enjoy it, without forewarning Eren was tackled down by him at the next moment, and her back crashed into the floor. Levi hovered over her and watched her catch her breath again. His usually straight hair was tousled, and his eyes were so dark that Eren couldn't see one single inch of grey in them anymore. She stared up at him, heart pounding hard in her chest.

Now the moment had come. He would break her neck, strangle her to death, or maybe he'd bust her-

The most graphic scenarios ran through her mind all at once, but she definitely wasn't prepared for what came next. Instead of killing her in the most cruel way, Levi leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on the lips. Thunderstruck Eren blinked at the mafia boss as he detached himself from her and smirked at her bewildered expression.

„Did you just-“ she couldn't even finish the sentence, as she was too dumbfounded from the unexpected kiss.

„You mean this?“ he said mockingly as he pecked Eren once more. „Yeah, I did.“

Utterly confused Eren tried to gather her thoughts. Why didn't he kill her? Wasn't it the way it was supposed to be? He was the gangster, she was the Agent. Agents catch gangsters, or otherwise they will be killed. That was the way it was supposed to be. But as always, Levi didn't stick to the usual behavior. But what was he up to, if not annihilating her? Eren frowned as she quickly reconstructed the former events - what did he say?

_„Today I have different things in mind.“_

And finally it sank in. He just couldn't think about- could he? Eren blushed as she got what he was implying. Levi had watched the change of her facial expression and let out a chuckle that put her stomach into a state of turmoil again. Then the feeling of anger returned to her, and Eren gritted her teeth.

How dared he. How motherfucking dared he. Did he really think he would accomplish such a thing by intimidating her? Not that she would consider it if he'd try another way, though. She wouldn't let him fluster her once again, Eren would pay him back all the times he made fun of her.

With a sudden force she freed herself from his grip and pushed his surprisingly heavy body to the side. As he wanted to sit up, she rose up and rammed Levi her elbow into his face. The man groaned and jumped to his feet, just in time to be attacked by Eren again. With more effort than usual he blocked the punch and swept her off her feet with one strong kick. The agent slumped down to the ground, and Levi used his chance to took a step backwards and whipped one arm over his mouth.

 

Surprised he watched Eren quickly drew herself up again, seemingly not affected by his actions in the least. What was up with her? The mafia leader was used to her fighting spirit, and he knew that she had the habit to turn into rage, but this was different. Eren's movements were even stronger than before, and she acted with such fastness and gracefulness that he almost got worried.

But he wasn't Levi if he wouldn’t know how to win. Eren might be strong, but there was no doubt he was stronger. Still, it was quite entertaining to fight with her. It was rare that he found good opponents beside his own subordinates, so he took the chance and enjoyed every single second of it.

Levi attacked the agent and wanted to bring her down once again, but Eren seemed to have foreseen it and blocked him. For the next minutes it went on and on this way, one of them would try to take a hit and the other would obstruct it. Levi gazed at her from the corner of his eyes as he saved himself from one of her attacks by jumping onto one of the old heating pipes. Not even a second later Eren had followed him and they stood across, panting and thinking about a way to overpower each other.

The agent had an almost animalistic look on her face now, eyes glaring and teeth bared, channeling anger and frenzy over and over. Levi wondered if he could provoke her a bit further, just a tiny little bit, to see what she was capable of and what face she would make then. So as she attacked him once more, he just ducked, dodged, kept falling back more and more.

And oh, did this piss Eren of.

 

If even possible, this passive behavior of Levi made her even angrier, because all she wanted to do right now was to beat him in an honest and fair fight, not being toyed around with once more. A faint little voice inside her head told her that it might be smarter to retrieve at this point, but the mixture of exhaustion and agitation boosted her to intensify the effort. She'd not give up without trying everything she was capable of.

The heating pipe was slippery and tight, so it would be best to watch her step, but all Eren could focus on was to bring Levi down. Technically she knew about the possibly risk of her next move, but practically she didn't care.

She just lunged forward, tackled the mafia leader and clung to him as they both fell down several meters on the floor. Crashing on the hard surface, she rolled over to tower Levi.

Eren panted hard from the effort, adrenaline rushed through her veins. Her mind was running fast as she stared down at her target, no particular thought was able to form anymore. It was like the instinct side of her had completely taken control. There was no right or wrong, no sense of time, no past, nor future, just the present. And in the present there was just one desire that needed to be fulfilled.

Levi looked up at her, wondering what the fuck just happened. He had assumed that Eren could get even more reckless and stronger than before by being poked, but this fast and powerful movements had caught him a bit off-guard. He didn't knew if it was the dim lightening from the rising sun or if it just was imagination, but her eyes glowed in a way he had never seen before. A strange golden glint flashed up in the usual turquoise orbs, and she stared down at him in an almost predatory way. If it wasn't for Levi, he would have been intimidated by now. And even if he was used to have fully control over the situation, he let himself been hypnotized by these beautiful eyes. His mouth went completely dry, he parted his lips, because Levi needed to say something, _anything_ to break the spell she was about to throw on him.

„Sweetheart, you-“

 

Eren didn't think about her movements or reflected her actions anymore, she just acted on instinct as she grabbed Levi by the collar, yanked him up and silenced him with her lips. The man underneath widened his eyes in surprise, but she didn't take note of it. Once she had tasted these sweet lips, she wasn't able to contain herself anymore.

Releasing the strong grip on his collar, she cupped his face with her hands instead and began to move her lips against his. This time Levi replied instantly to the kiss and tilted his head to gain her better access. He wrapped one arm around her waist to drag her closer, the other hand sneaked up to the back of her head to steady it as he kissed her back, adding a light pressure. Eren practically drowned into the feeling, gave into the swirl of arousal and excitement and pushed her tongue inside him. She explored his mouth and savored all of his taste, satisfied as he responded in the same way.

The moment their tongues met, Eren felt tingles rushing over her body. She practically moaned into the kiss, and all of her noises were swallowed by Levi's mouth. Eren was too engrossed by the spreading pleasure in her abdomen to care about Levi sitting up now, pulling her into his lap and tugging slightly at her hair. As he bit down her lower lip gently, he received another mewl from Eren.

This sounds would drive Levi crazy, he'd do practically anything to hear her moaning for him all night long. All he knew was that he wanted to slam her against the ground, kiss her in every possible way, take her till she was reduced to a whimpering mess underneath him.

In an almost possessive way he pressed her firmer to his chest, enjoying every inch of skin that he could feel from her, even if it was through the fabric of their clothes.

 

Eren's mind had gone blank by now, the only thought that circulated in her head was that this wasn't enough, she needed more of him, or else she'd never be able to extinguish the flames that licked up her whole body. Unconsciously she rolled her hips against Levi, causing him to groan at the sensation. The mafia leader didn't need another invitation, and in the blink of an eye he flipped Eren onto her back and hovered over her, never disconnecting their lips.

She didn't care that he pinned her arms over her head with his hands, didn't care that he now was in charge of the whole situation. The only thing she cared about was the intoxicating feeling of his tongue inside her. Levi could do anything to her by now, and that feeling aroused her to no end. She would give him everything he'd ask from her, she'd offer him her body and soul-

Wait, what.

_No, no, no, back off Eren, this is wrong in so many was._

Levi was still a bloody mafia leader, and she was a straightforward Agent. In fact the one Agent that was supposed to track this criminal down. Panic washed over her, and Armin's warning crashed down in her mind, blocking out every other sensation.

_„Whatever you do, you must not kiss Levi.“_

And yet she laid here under her enemy, amidst of a dirty old warehouse, panting wantonly like an animal in heat. She needed to stop this, immediately. With a sudden force she freed herself from his grip, yanked her knee hard into his crotch and pushed him away.

„What the fuck-“ Levi kneed on the ground, gasping for air. He had been so captivated by the arousing Eren trembling underneath him that he hadn't seen this attack coming.

Levi groaned and looked up to see the brunet jumping to her feet. She glared at him like he was the one to blame, like he would be the one with the mating habits of a rabid cat that would punch his partner after having a hot make-out-session.

„Seriously, Eren.“ he managed to hiss between gritted teeth as he slowly stood up, still clutching the injured area. „You keep sending me mixed signals.“

„Yeah, do I?“ she snapped back challenging, hands pressed on her hips. „Then what about this signal: Stay the fuck away from me! _This_ -“ Eren made a gesture to signal a connection between him and her. „This will never happen! So stop hitting on me constantly and leave me alone!“

Despite the pain he still was feeling, Levi let out a breathless chuckle. „Weren't you the one that just started this kiss?“ he asked sneering.

The livid look she sent him almost made up for the pain in his balls.

„Shut up!“ Eren hissed and began to wander up and down frantically. „Where is my fucking gun?“ she murmured to herself, looking rather distressed.

Levi was worried that in this state she'd in fact shoot off his dick, and so he inconspicuously tossed the gun behind him under one of the big boilers with his foot.

„Eren,“ he said with the most alluring voice he could summon up. „Calm the fuck down and stop trying to-“

 

„Don't tell me what to do!“ the agent shouted irritable as she looked around to at least find another exit. She needed to get out of her, as soon as possible. His mere presence let her body yearn for his touches, and it pissed her off.

„So you'll keep ignoring what's going on between us, huh?“ he asked with a frown.

Eren, who had quickly climbed one of the boilers to reach a opened window above her, turned around to send him a stern glare.

„There's absolutely nothing going on between us.“ she hissed towards him. „Don't think that I won't arrest you just because you're stuck in my head.“

She had reached the window, yanked it open entirely and already placed a foot on the bank, when Levi's low voice reached her ear again.

„So I'm stuck in your head?“ His voice was smooth and mocking, but nevertheless somehow softer than usual.

Eren could have face palmed herself. Really, she should have gone to bed this morning, her brain wasn't able to filter her thoughts properly anymore.

She slowly turned around to see Levi standing at the same spot as before, the painful expression replaced by a self-assured smirk on his lips. He looked disturbingly hot in the dim light.

„One day, I'll fucking kill you.“ Eren hissed, climbed on the bank and hopped outside.

She jumped down onto the canopy of the next building, ran along the roof till she found a spot where she could jump down into the yard again without being hurt. All the way back to the Scouting Legion tower, she ran like she being chased by a demon. But she knew too well that there was nobody following her except her own dark thoughts.

What has she been thinking, jumping Levi and kissing him like a horny teenager? Yes, Levi might be a hell of a kisser, but that didn't meant it was a good idea to actually get off with him. God, this was so stupid. Since when wasn't she able to contain herself anymore? She was a fucking successful Top Agent, and yet she didn't manage to take her hands of her target, just because the man was lying underneath her, panting and sweat forming on his pale skin-

The image of his astonished face as she had yanked him up to her crossed her mind once more, and it felt like a bunch of fucking butterflies fluttered in her stomach.

 _Jeez, I'm so doomed._ She thought and ran a hand over her face as she entered the Scouting Legion's building.

Many people were gathered in the lobby, rushing hectically from one spot to another, and Eren bumped into one young stressed police officer. The man wanted to shout at her for her lack of attention, but as he recognized who she was, and moreover what facial expression she was making, he quickly apologized and hurried off. Eren shook her head and wandered up to reach the elevator, but on her way she caught a glimpse of sandy tousled hair.

„Jean!“ she called out, rushing over to her subordinate.

„Eren, thank god!“ Jean said as he turned around. „'You're ok?“ he asked concerned as he noticed her battered appearance.

„I'm fine.“ she nodded, and receiving a questioning gaze from the other agent she added: „I had a fight with Levi. Bastard escaped, as always.“ Bitterness filled her voice, and Jean didn't dare to ask another question for the moment.

They both made their way through the big crowd of nervous people that still tried to wrap their mind about the fact that the Mafia had been able to break into the tower, as Connie strutted over to them, dragging Sasha behind him. God knows where she had it from, but the woman was already munching a Snickers again.

„Guys,“ Eren said relieved. „Are you all right? Is someone hurt?“

„We're ok, but Erwin has a stab wound.“ Connie explained. „Nothing life-threatening, but the guy he chased was able to ram a knife into his arm before he disappeared. Might take a while before it'll heal.“

Eren nodded and looked around. „Did you bring Hange to the cell already?“ she asked, not seeing the criminal scientist anywhere.

„Uhm...“ Connie trailed off uncomfortably, scratching his neck.

A sense of foreboding filled Eren, and she hot him a dark glare. „No.“ she stated, as if this could change anything.

The young man squirmed under the look she gave him.

„I'm sorry, Eren.“ he said and averted his gaze. „Suddenly there was a group of 8 people attacking us, and we had no chance. They took Hange and escaped.“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear we're getting to a point with this (ﾉ ・A・)ﾉ


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren can't believe the shit she has to read in today's newspaper. She tries to forget Levi for some days, but apparantly this doesn't go well. He seems to haunt Eren everywhere, even in her dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, we passed more than 200 kudos already! ヽ(゜∇゜)ノ  
> Thank you thank you thank you, your support means so much to me, it encourages me to continue writing to no end! 
> 
> Also, this chapter is unbeta-d, I'm sorry (again ._.), because my beta is really really busy, but I don't want you to wait any longer since I received such kind messages about updating. So this chapter is gonna be beta-d later, I hope the vocabulary isn't too weird.
> 
> Aaand I hope you don't mind the little Thomas x Eren moment in this chapter, it will be the last time, I swear ^^ Just had the feeling that their relationship had to be cleared. In return there will be fluffy ereri-moments as well!
> 
> Now I will leave you alone with my ramblings - please enjoy chapter 8!

The whole city had been traumatized by the fact that the Mafia had been able to break into the Department that was entrusted with the task to protect the civilians. Eren had more work to do than ever and the amount of useless interviews and talk shows increased again, because Erwin insisted that she needed to reassure the public that they were capable of keeping the Mafia at bay nonetheless. Eren would rather work on the case again, slowly but surely she got the impression that it was not important to the others anymore if she caught Levi. They all seemed more interested in pestering Eren with pointless questions and analysing the shit out of every single step they took.

She tried to remain cool and levelheaded, but she was stretched to her limits when one day Jean came into the office, untypically quiet. Normally he would greet Eren with a mocking insult and go straight on with being an asshole for the whole day, but this morning he cautiously walked up to her. She sat at her overflowing desk, completely absorbed in a talk with Armin, a cup of steaming coffee in her hand. Jean's face was such constipated that Eren glanced up surprised as he came to them.

„'Morning Jean, is something wrong?“ she asked concerned as she noticed the nervous twitching of his features.

Sasha and Connie had turned around and curiously approached the group as well.

„Uhm, morning.“ Jean trailed off uncomfortably. „Did you already have a look into the newspaper today?“

She furrowed her brows while she took a sip of coffee.

„No, why?“ she replied.

„Thought so.“ he sighed and reached into his coat to pull out a grey crampled newspapers, one of the sort that already screamed sensation seeking and cheap journalism. He unfolded it and put it on the desk, and the big headline almost jumped into Eren's face.

 

**„Did infamous gangster Levi steal Agent sweetheart's heart?“**

 

The grip around her coffee loosened, but Eren didn't care as the mug fell down on the floor and shattered into hundreds of pieces. She stared at the two big pictures under the ridiculously colourful headline. One photography showed her and Thomas, arm in arm at the charity event, Eren slightly turning to the right, as if she was looking to the next photo, which contained a smug looking Levi in a tailored suit.

„Holy shit!“ Armin whispered and bent over to have a better look at the lines beneath the pictures.

„T-this … this cannot be...“ Eren muttered in horror, not able to to form any coherent sentence at the moment.

Armin had began to read out loud:

 

_„It sounds like a romance straight from a Hollywood-movie: Young Agent Eren Yeager, who is well-known for her determined and short temper, is chasing feared mafia boss Levi. But the extremely handsome criminal isn't interested into capitulation, in fact he seems to be more interested into the pretty investigator herself. It is an open secret in the underground that the crime lord calls Eren his 'sweetheart', won't tolerate anyone harming her. But now the rumours spread that the agent finally was seduced by him and they started a hot love affair. How will Yeager's boyfriend Thomas react to the shocking news? More about the scandalous couple on page 3 ...“_

 

The room was deadly silent for a couple of seconds, neither of them dared to say a word, before a trembling Eren slowly spoke up.

„Jean,“ she said low, her eyes glowing in a dangerously way . „I want you to bring me this journalist to my office. Immadietly.“

He sighed. „Eren, I don't think that there's anything we can do-“

„I SAID,“ she slammed her fist at the desk as she shouted. „I wanna have the person who is responsible for this shit! And when I'm finished with them they will curse they day their parents decided to give birth to their pathetic existence!“

The others stared uncomfortably at her, till Jean gave in and finally decided to rush out of the room. Connie snatched the paper from the desk and continued reading the ridiculous made-up article about the alleged love story between Eren and Levi. As expected, most of the text was complete bullshit, a bringing together of wild speculations and simply false statements. An asserted reliable source even claimed Eren would think about dumping her boyfriend Thomas for Levi.

„He's not even my boyfriend, it was just one fucking date.“ she murmured bitter to herself.

„Ha!“ Connie exclaimed and pointed towards his squad leader. „So it _was_ a date!“

He immadietly ducked as he received Eren's glare and went on reading the end of the article. To Eren's dismay it also mentioned the fact that Levi had sat at their table during the charity event, which meant that they had been watched. What bothered her even more was the claim Levi and her would have shared „ _hot glances_ “ - seriously, how oblivious do you have to be to misinterpret the hateful stares that Eren had sent him?

As Connie was finished with reading out loud, Eren slammed her head at the table, hands running furiously through her hair.

„Eren,“ Armin said in a calming voice. „This is Yellow press, nobody will take this story for real.“

But this time his words failed to soothe her.

„Agent sweetheart.“ she said in an horrified voice, her eyes wide as she looked up to him. „That's what they'll call me from now on, isn't it? They labeled me with this shit and now it will stick to me forever.“ Eren groaned annoyed, furrowing her brows angrily. „Nobody will give a damn about how hard I worked, how strong I am, what achievements I'll make. Now I'll forever be the dumb pretty girl that hoped in bed with a famous mafia leader. If it's true or not won't matter to them, because now they can lean back satisfied and gossip about it.“

Armin really tried his best to comfort her.

„Eren, it is no use now to cry over spilled milk.“ he said. „Better focuse on the positive things; at least the media acknowledges him as a criminal now. It will be difficult for him to act as an innocent civilian in public now. And don't forget we have an arrest warrant now, so as soon as you'll catch him, this story will be forgotten.“

Eren still wasn't entirely convinced, but Armin had a point. He was right, the new arrest warrant _was_ a step forwards. First Eren had doubted that they would get another one, even if the Wings of freedom had broken into the Scouting Legion tower, because she knew that Kitts was a hypocritical asshole and would stick to his „Levi-is-an-honorable-citizen“-politics. But then something remarkable had happened - Kitts had been involved in a mysterious car crash and was put out of action for the next months due his serious injuries. Some might call it misfortune, some might call it fate, but Eren just called it satisfaction.

Kitts' temporary cover was a prosecutor named Rico Brzenska, a silverhaired woman with the reputation to be strict and fair. She had issued an arrest warrant immadietly when she was confronted with Levi's case, and Eren was almost sad that Brenzska was just a temporary substitution, because she'd handle all the cases for the public benefit, not for her own. But maybe that was the very reason why she usually wasn't in such a high position.

Sasha's voice tore Eren out of her thoughts. „Yeah, and we're all professionals here. Nobody will be dumb enough to care about such obvious bullshit.“ the woman reassured and patted her back.

Eren wanted to believe her, she really wanted to, but as she sighed and looked out of the window that connected her office with the hallway, she locked gazes with a priggish grinning Nile Dok. The guy had the nerve to wave at her with the newspaper in his hand.

„Oh fuck, no.“ Eren said as she slammed her head once more at the table.

 

\---

 

One hour later Jean was back, an old man with thick eyebrows and a moustache in his company. Eren had imagined the journalist to be one of these young heatheaded people that just did everything to make it big and didn't care about the consequences. But this man with intelligent calm eyes made the impression that he knew exactly what he did, and therefore he must have known about the consequences of his article for Eren. He was able to distinguish right from wrong, and yet he had decided to drag her name through the dirt.

Eren was, to say the least, pissed.

The man, who introduced himself with the name Roy, didn't even apologize. Though Eren confronted him with all the bullshit he had done with this stupid article, he didn't seem to care. Instead his eyes flickered to the exit every so often, as if he just thought about how to get out of this uncomfortable situation as soon as possible. He reminded Eren of a big lazy rat.

After nearly 30 minutes of shouting at the man, she angrily asked him if he didn't have to say anything to his defense. He just shrugged his shoulders.

„Listen ma'am, I do understand that you're pissed about the whole thing, but all I do care for is to get on the frontpage with my articles. However, I have a wife and two kids to feed, this task is enough for me. I can't also care about morals or the feelings of the people I write about, that would be too much to ask, don't you think?“ he said exaggerated. „Besides, if you abuse your job to fool around and hook up with criminals, it's your own fault. The public has a right to know, and if you ask me, you should at least feel ashamed.“

By now Eren had to clench her hands around the desk with force, or else she would have lunged forwards to strangle that guy. How dared he to tell her she should feel ashamed while he fucked up?

„I told you the last 30 minutes, it's not even true!“ she yelled. „And I can't see why it should be my fault that you tear apart my personal life in your fucking rag!“

As furious as Eren was, she realised that it had no use to rage at such an ignorant man. Even if she would had been able to keep calm and tell him logically that his story was complete bullshit, he wouldn't have cared. All he wanted to have was the money, nothing more.

And Eren also didn't indulge in the illusion that it would have been over with the rumours by convincing one single journalist. She had the dull feeling that this was just the beginning.

 

After she dismissed the man, Eren tried to occupy herself with work, but it was hard to concentrate as her phone was ringing every few minutes. She didn't answer it, knowing that it were just people from the press that wanted to pester her about the rumours.

At the evening Eren felt exhausted, though she had to admit that she didn't really accomplished much today. Her friends and colleagues were used to her periods of work mania, but after all the events in the past weeks they started to get worried. So at the end of the day, when the sun was already touching the ground, Jean bounced into the office, practically dragging her out to abduct her to the annual fair in the city.

„Kirstein, really, I don't need your stupid entertainment, I should be working on the files-“ Eren protested, but her friend didn't let her finish.

„No backtalk, Yeager, it's Friday evening and I won't let you sit your ass fat in office!“ Jean snarled. „You seriously need to relax and distract yourself, because if not we're all going crazy with such a grumpy squad leader.“

„I'm not grumpy...“ Eren said weakly, but didn't revolt anymore.

She knew he was right, and a wave of guilt overcame her. She should consider that she was not a ordinary rookie anymore. If she had problems in private life, she had to make sure they would stay there and that she didn't wreak it at her subordinates.

As soon as they arrived at the fairground, Eren spotted the group of people they were supposed to meet. She just had to smile as she saw her friends enjoying themselves. Sasha and Connie were laughing their asses of by a joke one of them had made, while Armin, Thomas and some of his collagues from the hospital were intrigued in a discussion about the effects of diets on the brain. Even Historia and Ymir where there, chatting cheerfully with Thomas' little sister Mina.

Eren hugged all of them, happy to get to see her friends and acquaitances again. She'd never admit it out loud, but she actually was grateful for Jean dragging her here.

They all wandered around the fair, drinking a shot here and there and having some rides, and Sasha even won a food-eating-contest on the side.

During their activities Eren was feeling more and more relaxed, and she used the chance to catch up with all of them. First of them was Thomas, who beamed at her as she took him aside to talk to him.

Eren felt slightly guilty that he had been dragged into this story, and that his name was also mentioned in the article. She appologised for the inconvienience to him, but he just waved it off.

„It's not your fault that they wrote it. Besides, there are worse things than to be called your boyfriend in public.“ he winked at her.

„Yeah, maybe. Still-“ Eren laughed nervously, sreeching the back of her head.

Thomas noticed the flustered look on her face and quickly changed the topic. „Anyway, I really don't mind.“ he reassured. „Moreover, I wanted to tell you some good news. Guess what, I got my doctorate degree last week!“

The bright smile he flashed her was contagiously.

„Oh, really!“ Eren grinned and hugged him. „I'm so happy for you!“

 

The evening went on and she had a really good time. On a shooting gallery Jean challenged her for a little competiton, and it was an head-to-head-race. When it came to shooting, Jean was pretty good, but nevertheless Eren was able to win with a small lead. Laughing, she stock out her tongue to a muttering Jean as she got the jackpot, an oversized pink plushy octupus. Thomas and Armin sent them doubting gazes at their childish behaviour, but they didn't mind. As Eren felt her phone buzzing in her pocket, she shoved the plush toy into Thomas arms.

„Here, Dr. Wagner, I think you're more capable of caring about it.“ she giggled. „Give it to the kids on your station, they'll be able to make use of it.“

Eren whipped out her carmesine red flip phone and klicked at the little envelope-shaped symbol to see who was texting her.

Her lips pressed to a thin line as she read the SMS.

**Unknown number, 09:26 pm: Congrats on finally having an arrest warrant for me again. Enjoy your little triumph, it won't last long. Levi**

„What the -“ she muttered under her breath, and her friends immadietly turned their attention to her.

„What is it, Eren?“ Armin asked concerned as he saw the look on her face.

Eren read out the text loud to Jean, Thomas and him, and they all listened baffled. Jean was the first who found his voice again.

„What are you waiting for, trace the number!“ he exclaimed.

Eren sent him an annoyed gaze, but did what he told. She called the IT-section of the Scouting Legion and asked them to trace the number, but as expected it was not that easy. The IT-guy explained that it was not possible to locate the mobile phone. He was a bit surprised by the fact, but Eren had already predicted that Levi had taken precautions. She ended the call and was about to say something, when suddenly the phone buzzed again. Startled she noticed that it was another text from him.

**Levi, 09:30 pm: I know you miss me, but tracing me is not the way you gonna get me. You should know this by now.**

„This bastard...“ Eren muttered, mulling over the fact that she was observed again.

She looked up to her friends again. „What should I do?“

They thought about it a few moments, before Armin spoke up.

„Well, there are two possibilities now...“ he trailed off, but at Eren's expecting look he continued. „Number one would be to completely ignore the texts, and it all will remain the same. However, we could also use the chance to take everything out of it that's possible. If you answer him, he might get cocky and spill important information.“ Armin fidgeted uncomfortably and tucked a strand of blond hair behind his ear. „But be aware that every reaction you show encourages him. Regardless if your reply is positive or negative, it reinforces his behaviour. If you text him back now, he won't stop chasing you. Think good about if you can bear this.“

Eren frowned at his explanation, tapping her fingeres absentmindly against the mobile phone as she thought about it.

„I don't know, that seems to be dangerous ...“ Thomas mumbled beneath her, arms clutching protectively around the octupus. „He sounds like a creepy stalker!“

But Eren had already decided. In the meantime she had got used to his annoying attempts at flirting, it was not like they could get any worse, was it?

„What should I reply?“ she asked Armin, ignoring Thomas' concerend gaze.

„What you want.“ Armin shrugged his shoulders. „Be yourself. What would you say to him if he was here now?“

Eren didn't need to think about this twice, so she immadietly tipped the text and pressed 'send'.

**Eren, 09:36 pm: Fuck u**

„Wow, very eloquent.“ Jean had looked over her shoulder and rolled his eyes.

„Shut up.“ Eren muttered and stored the phone away.

They trotted over to the rest of the group, but she had a hard time to participate into the playful smalltalk again. As the ring tone announced a new SMS, she instantly pulled out the phone.

**Levi, 09:44 pm: A little pissed, are we, Agent sweetheart?**

Eren growled at the mention of this nickname, she had been just about to forget this stupid front-page-article, but of course he had to bring it up again.

**Eren, 09:47 pm: Wherever u r i'm gonna find u, and if u have anything to do with this shit i'm gonna rip u apart!**

„Come on guys, the firework will begin in a few minutes!“ a woman with short red hair called out excitedly. Hannah was also a doctor at Thomas' hospital, and all of her colleagues used to made fun of her and her fiance Franz, because they acted like a lovey-dovey couple all the time.

„Eren, put the phone away, you're gonna miss the best part of the fair!“ Mina exclaimed and ruffled the hair of the agent mockingly.

Eren made a grimace at this action, but she did what she was told and let herself been dragged by the cheerful girl to the meadow. They all sat down on the grass to watch the spectacle from a comfortable place later. Armin and Thomas went to the concession stand to buy a round for everyone.

Eren listened to the laughter of Mina and Jean beneath her, but her thoughts driftened to her mobile phone more than once. As it buzzed again, she already had it in her hands again, because where else should she check the time? It was not like she was waiting for him to reply.

**Levi, 09:58 pm: Tempting offer, but don't get your panties in a twist. This crappy newspaper already got a little reward from me for this bullshit story, it's not like this was the best PR for me as well. They will shut up about it in the future now.**

Eren shuddered as she read the text. She didn't even want to imagine what Levi meant with „a little reward“, but she also couldn't find the will to feel for this bunch of money-grubbing idiots.

„Here.“

Eren startled as Thomas' voice tore her out of her thoughts. She looked up and took the bottle of beer he offered, before he slumped down beneath her.

„Everything okay?“ Thomas raised his eyebrows concerned, nodding at the mobile phone.

„Thanks.“ Eren answered, taking a sip. „Yeah, it's all fine.“

„Good.“ he mumbled.

The lights around the fairground were dimmed down, and a fanfare over the loudspeakers announced the firework. Sitting calmly at the fresh air, Eren could suddenly feel the alcohol in her metabolism more than before, and as Thomas scooted over to her, she leaned against him. The first rockets raised into the night sky, just to explode into a cloud of colours and noises. Eren wasn't really able to cherish the entertainment, as the phone next to her vibrated again.

**Levi, 10:07 pm: And just because I'm out of country doesn't mean you should get off with the whisker-brat again. Or is it that you want me to punish you again?**

So this was the obvious proof that his people observed her, but Eren couldn't find the will to get angry, as she was already stuck in the memory of Levi's lips on her neck. Images of him hovering over her made her mind go dizzy once again, but she quickly shook it off. At least she now knew that he was not in the country anymore.

**Eren, 10:11 pm: Shut up. Not ur business.**

Thomas had sneaked his arm around her shoulders, but she didn't mind. It actually felt nice to have body contact with a good old friend, and she was too tipsy to care about the fact that it could be misinterpreted by other people. Lazily she gazed down as the ringtone resonated again.

**Levi, 10:16 pm: Oh yes it is. But don't worry, I'll come back to you. I always get what I want.**

Eren rolled her eyes. Did people actually say such things? It sounded something between a creepy stalker and a spoiled child.

 _Who's the brat now_ , she thought as she typed in a reply.

**Eren, 10:18 pm: Time for u to grow up and face harsh reality, old perv.**

She didn't even put the phone to the side before the next buzz came.

**Levi, 10:19 pm: Am not old.**

Knowing she was probably still watched by his spys and god-knows-who, she fought back the amused smile that tugged at her lips.

„Eren, can't you put the phone away now? It's your free evening. Don't let him ruin it.“ Thomas said with a pleading tone.

Realizing that he was right, she stored it back into her pocket and tried to appreciate the colourful firework again. But in the back of her mind she couldn't push the slowly forming voice away that somehow his messages didn't exactly ruin the mood for her, in fact it had been kind of entertaining. Eren blushed as this thought sank into her.

„Hey, is really everything ok?“ she heard Thomas murmur beneath her ear.

Still Levi's annoyingly self-assured smirk in her mind, Eren turned slightly around and was surprised to find her friend's face just a few inches away from her.

„Y-yeah, it's all good.“ she said, somehow feeling flustered.

Before she could explain anything further, Thomas leaned in and kissed her.

A million thoughts rushed through Eren's mind, and at the same time she was not able to grasp one of them. She had drunk a good amount of alcohol before, which might explain why she didn't push him back but replied to the kiss. She tried to concentrate on the situation; the bright colours from the firework, the admiring gasps of the people watching it, and the faint music in the background.

All these things should create a pleasant and romantic atmosphere. And wasn't having fun with Thomas what she had planned sooner or later? The whole situation was perfect, all should have felt right.

But it didn't.

Instead of finally forgetting all of her current problems, the causer of them flashed up in her mind repeatedly. Levi's stormy eyes, the silky hair, and this illegal gorgeous smile of him occupied her thoughts.

Eren remembered the electrifying feeling that had rushed through her as she had kissed him, and suddenly it all felt so wrong. Sitting here with Thomas kissing was not what she should have been doing, and it was obviously also not what Eren wanted.

She wanted Levi.

Realising this fact, she finally shoved Thomas away.

He looked at her like a kicked puppy, but Eren didn't care about that at he moment. She just wanted to get out of this situation, so she jumped to her feet and tried to disappear into the crowd of people. However, this mission was not very succesfull, as Thomas was able to follow her and grab her wrist.

„Eren!“ he called out, till she evenutally turned around to face him. „Eren, I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.“

She noticed the hurt look in his eyes, and her chest clenched. Deep inside, she had known that this day would finally come. Thomas had become obsessed by an idea, an idea of him and her being a happy couple together. But Eren didn't feel that way, and she didn't even felt attracted to him; today she had realised it. It was time to let him down once again, but this time with a finality even he would understand.

„I didn't want to take you by surprise.“, Thomas continued apologizing. „You just looked so cute and I couldn't resist.“

„Listen, I don't want-“ Eren began, but she was interrupted as he grabbed both of her hands.

„I know it was too fast for you, but I'll slow down. We will continue in a pace that's ok for you.“ he said, eyes glistening. „It's fine, I can wait.“

Slowly the guilt in her chest disappeared, and an itching feeling of anger replaced it.

„Fuck, Thomas, would you listen to me, this one time?“ she called out. „I'm sorry but we'll never going to be together! You are a great person, and I like you as a friend, but there's nothing more I feel for you.“

He still stood there, in front of her, staring at her with sad eyes.

„But Eren, I love you!“ he finally said, and the pleading undertone in his voice got on her nerves. „I loved you for years now, why won't you give me a chance?“

„Because I don't want to! I don't feel this way for you, it would be pointless to try it, and moreover I'm not even looking for this serious stuffy kind of relationship you have in mind.“

She had said these things before to him, after the first times he asked her out, but apparantly he still didn't understand.

„We can speak about those things, I mean if you want to you can even keep your job after the marriage-“ Thomas blurted, but Eren already was backing away.

„What, _marriage_?! Hell no!“ she exclaimed horrified. „See, this is the thing I'm talking about! You have this fix idea in your head that has nothing to do with me or reality. You know that I don't want these things!“

Now she was getting into rage, because she was finally understanding the dynamics of their relationship. She might not be as smart as Armin when it came to analyse those things, but now she was able to see it. Though Thomas had claimed to have loved her all these years, he had never listened to what she had said to him. Even her constantly rejections hadn't faced him, he just kept fantasizing about the things he'd like to have, regardless if it was fitting to Eren. And everytime she had got a bit angry, he had looked at her with sad puppy eyes, till she felt sorry for him and spent time with him nevertheless.

It was not about her feelings, but about his.

She somehow had been stuck in this guilt-trap, where she would try to make up for the fact that she didn't reciproce Thomas' feelings. And, wether he had done this unconsciously or not, he had used it for his advantage. That was why she had felt cornered and uncomfortable all the time, obligated to be an even better friend, but now the line was crossed.

Eren might not be the best when it came to recognise her own feelings, but in the inside a little part of her was proud that she finally had been able to decode these things.

„Thomas, I think it's better if we're not seeing each other for the next time.“ she said, trying to ignore the wave of sympathy as he seemed to sink down a bit. „I'm sorry, but this is the best way. If you accept the fact that we will never be anything more, I'll be glad to be your friend again. But until then, I don't want us to have anything to do with each other.“

She turned around, finally able to leave light-heartedly, but his next words let her stop dead in tracks.

„The same way you don't have to do anything with Levi?“ Thomas asked low, but to Eren it was like he had tossed these words right into her face. „It's him, isn't it? You even forget your friends and your own free evening over texting him. He chases you like mad, but you still keep hunting him, because you're _enjoying_ it. He's the reason you don't wanna be with me.“

Eren glared daggers at Thomas. For the first time in her life, she was so mad at him that she didn't even find the words to describe her anger. She had never thought that Thomas would be one of those men that couldn't accept the fact that she just simply didn't have those feelings for him, that he needed such an offensive excuse to feel better about the reject.

„How dare you!“ she choked out, glaring at him one last time before she whipped around to stomp away.

„Eren, whait! I-I didn't mean it!“ Thomas exclaimed. „I'm sorry, I know it's your job and that you didn't encourage him! Please, let me-“

But it was to late, Eren didn't look back anymore.

 

\---

 

Eren hid herself away for the rest of the weekend, and somehow she managed it to avoid all the press people that tried to contact her. Even her friends, who asked her about the reason of her bad mood monday morning in the office, didn't get an answer of her.

It certainly didn't help that Levi kept texting her from time to time, mostly random questions about how her day has been and if she already felt bored without him in the city.

She didn't reply.

The pressure took it's toll, and Eren felt at the brink of freaking the fuck out. If anyone would piss her off these days, they'd get the kick in the ass of their lifetime. She genuinely tried to compose herself, ignore all the curious looks from other agents at the department, but at tuesday afternoon she finally snapped.

It had all began when Eren accidently eavesdropped a conversation between Nile Dok and one of his subordinates in the hall, while she was pouring herself some coffee in the break room. They talked about a planned drug handover of the Titans at a factory in the outskirts, and the young agent with the bowl-cut that worked underneath Dok excitedly asked him about their plans to smash them. But Nile, being the insufferable asshole he was, just laughed it off. He said it would be way to soon to act in this case, and that it was no use to joult the criminals out for the sake of getting just three or four people caught.

Eren couldn't believe how stupid and lazy this so-called agent was, and she just stormed out of the break room to throw out to this stopple bearded bastard what she thought about him. But as Dok spotted her, a sickenly mocking grin plastered on his face.

„Ah, what an honour to meet famous celebrity Eren Yeager in this dirty halls! I thought you were too occupied hoofing to some press conferences or talk-shows. It's a wonder you found the time to visit us ordinary people down here and actually try to work.“

Eren knew better than to bare her teeth and snap back, but she couldn't restrain. „Shut up Dok, you know that I don't do these things voluntarily!“

„Do I?“ Nile drawled off. „To be honest, I'm more and more convinced that you just get off by this whole attention-thing. I mean, you even went so far to start an affair with your target, c'mon-“

He wasn't able to continue his defamatory speech, as Eren pushed him against the wall, clutching his shirt furiously.

„Repeat this fucking lie one more time in front of me, I swear-“ she threatend in a low voice, on the brink to punch his fucking face.

„Then what?“ Dok spat out. „You gonna throw a lipstick at me, Agent Sweetheart?“

 

\---

 

Five minutes later they both sat in Erwin's office, Eren with her arms crossed and glaring straight forward. She couldn't even say that she felt sorry for what she had done, because although she was in deep trouble now, the view of Nile desperately trying to stop the bleeding of his nose was just too satisfying.

„You have to do something about her, she is uncontrolable!“ Dok just called out at Erwin, his voice sounding oddly nasal. „Yeager is like a rapid dog!“

„Nile, I don't apologize her behaviour, but what you did was nothing better. You know we're all in the same boat, so would you please stop provoking the other agents with such speeches?“ Erwin looked him stern in the eyes. „Now go and report yourself at the infirmary, I think your nose is broken and I don't want it to get any worse.“

With an offended look in Erwin's direction and a hatefilled glare towards Eren Nile stood up, strotting out of the bureau and slamming the door.

„Eren.“ Erwin spoke up, folding his hands and leaning towards her. „A physical attack towards one of your colleagues is inexcusable.“

She huffed in response, but didn't dare to look him in the eyes to talk back. He sighed and massaged the brinch of his nose.

„See, I understand that you're under a lot of pressure lately, and I'm afraid I'm not entirely innocent.“ Erwin said calm.

Surprised Eren glanced up. „I pushed you into the public to represent the Scouting Legion, although you always said you didn't like it. And now the media of course jumped on the first oppurtunity to exploit the events.“

Eren uncrossed her arms, fidgeting nervously with her fingers. Erwin watched her movements.

„I'm sorry I didn't foresee that it was too much for you, but goddammit Eren, this is an agency, not a child care! I can't believe I have to tell my agents to not break each other's nose!“ he had raised his voice, just a tiny little bit, but in Erwin's case the effect was as if he had shouted at her.

Eren still remained silent, she didn't know what to say.

„I can give you another task, if you want.“ he suddenly said. „If it's too much for you to deal with Levi, I can still give-“

„What?“ Eren exclaimed shocked. „No, no! I swore I'll get him, and that is exactly what I'll do. I'm really close to arrest him. Please Erwin, do not take it away from me!“

Erwin looked at her, the silence in the office stretching to an uncomfortable level, and Eren already expected him to disagree.

„Fine.“ he finally said. „You'll keep the task, for the time being. But I need to punish you for your behaviour, or else it would send wrong signals to the other agents. You're suspended for the next two weeks. Jean will stand in for you.“

Eren opened her mouth, but he signaled her to keep silent.

„Don't see it as a punishment, I could have gone way harder at you. Take it as a chance to calm down, create some distance and relax. You'll need all your power if you really want to catch Levi.“

„I'm so fed up with this forced holidays you keep getting me into.“ Eren murmured, but she understood that Erwin had to act like this. „One more thing, before I got in a fight with him, Nile said that-“

„Eren, I really don't want to hear one more word about this from you!“ An irritated undertone vibrated in his voice. „And for the love of god, stop poking your nose into the titan case, it is not your task! Focus your energy on Levi after your suspension ends.“

And with these words he dismissed Eren.

 

\---

 

Like everytime, Eren didn't take Erwin's words to heart too much, and so the next day she stood in front of the factory complex where the handover was supposed to be in less than an hour. As expected, no agent or police was to be seen, and Eren sighed annoyed as she thought about the incompetence of some of her colleagues once more. But it was no use now, she had to act on her own.

Although it was dangerous, she couldn't risk to get her own team into the shit as well. They needed to act completely safe and legal, Eren didn't want to put them into trouble by her behaviour. But it was absolutly necessary for her to find out more about the Titans, otherwise they would start a new kidnap-attack on her soon.

At least this was what Eren believed.

So she carefully slid into the building, looking around the big hall she just had entered. Several staircases, projections on the wall and platforms with roofs decorated the incredibly high walls of the room, and Eren was sure that they could put at least five floors in it if they just wanted.

Effortlessly she climbed up a few projections and positioned herself on a small roof that was about six metres above the ground. From this hideout she would be able to overview the whole scenario without being spotted. It lasted 20 minutes till she finally heard some footsteps and an opening door. From the sound of it, at least three people must have entered the hall, and the way they talked to each other in rough and short orders, Eren assumed it must have been the first members of the Titans.

She slowly crawled to the edge of the roof to have a better look at the scenario.

As she was about to peek over the rink Eren suddenly was being yanked back, her startled scream was muffled by a hand that covered her mouth. It didn't even last a second til she found herself in the tight embrace of an all too familiar mafia leader.

„Shh, Eren.“ Levi murmured into her ear from behind. „Calm down, it's just me.“

With her eyes widened from the shock Eren was able to take in the whole situation immadietly.

They both sat in a corner, Eren between Levi's legs, her back pressed up against his chest, while his arm hold a firm grip around her waist to keep her into place.

 _And how exactly am I supposed to calm down in this situation?_ she thought incredulously.

The warmth of his body and the familiar scent hit her sences hard, she felt her pulse quicken and heart beating faster. She twisted and struggled to free herself, but as expected Levi's grip was unyielding.

„Are you finished yet?“ he asked low as she finally hold still. „I'm going to remove my hand now, and you're gonna stay silent, got that?“

His whispered voice left no doubt that this was an command. Eren furrowed her brows at his tone, but nodded nevertheless. She didn't really favour following his orders, but as she looked around and recognised several dark figures waiting in the shadows on the roof, watching them, she decided it would be best to play along for now. She might act suicidal sometimes, but she was not dumb. She knew that his subordinates would kill her without hesitation if she ever would try to hurt Levi in front of them.

Though, her hands could not resist to cautiously wander down to her waistbelt the moment Levi decided to put his hand away from her mouth.

But before she was able to touch her gun, he had already grabbed it.

Damn him and his unnatural fast movements.

„I think we already passed the point where we'd do shit like threatening each other with guns, Eren.“ Levi whispered stern to her, and a young woman with short dark hair stepped beneath him to take the gun.

Before Eren could retort to that, she saw Levi putting his hand up and lazily waving two fingers downwards, and immadietly some of his people jumped down into the hall to attack the Titanmembers with bare hands. Startled Eren watched the thugs underneath her fight with an undaunted passion.

She turned around to Levi to ask him what the hell was going on, but suddenly she found his face just mere inches away from hers. His intense gaze lingered on her, and for a brief moment Eren forget what exactly she had wanted to ask.

Stormy grey eyes distracted her, captivated her, and she was caught up in very inappropriate thoughts.

A sudden movement at her butt made her snap out of the daze, and shocked she noticed that Levi hold her red flip phone in his hands. With one smooth move he had fished it out of her pocket, and now he eyed it with an unreadable expression.

„I'll have to borrow your phone too. Can't risk that you'll call your friends over here to join our little private party.“

She growled as he handed out the phone to the dark-haired woman who took it wordlessly. Seeing Eren's angry furrowed brows, Levi tugged his lips into a smug smile. He couldn't resist to flick a finger against her nose.

„Don't look so constipated, I'll send you a new one.“ he said.

„I don't want shit from you!“ Eren hissed and grabbed his fingers to shove it away from her face.

Levi just kept eying her while he once again waved his other hand, and again two people from above jumped down to join the fighting crowd on the ground. Eren stared after them.

„Now tell me, what the hell are you doing here?“ she asked demandingly.

By now she didn't have to keep her voice low anymore, because the noises of punches, muffled screams and other struggling noises overtuned it anyway.

„I could ask you the same, Eren.“ Levi said unwavered. „Shouldn't you sit in your office and admire some mug shots of me?“

„Very funny, asshole.“ she snapped back. „I took a few days off.“

„And why's that?“ he asked unimpressed.

The fight underneath them had gotten more intense by now, and out of nowhere another group of rough looking people with Titan-badges on their jackets appeared to beat the shit out of the now shorthanded fighting intrudors. With another lazy wave of his fingers Levi comanded another group of his subordinates to go down and support the others.

„Not your business!“ Eren hissed as she watched the figures jump down.

They didn't even bring this into question, they just acted and followed his commands blindly.

„And why are you here?“ she asked again.

„These little shits of Titans thought they could get cocky again, so we're here to sent them a friendly reminder.“

Levi had began to softly play with a strand of her hair, but Eren barely noticed it, as she was to engaged in watching the people in the hall. Some of them had pretty decent fighting techniques and eliminated two people with one movement, some of them could hardly keep up with one opponent.

„Who are those people?“ Eren asked eventually.

She didn't recognise any of them, and even though she knew that the Wings of Freedom was a big organization with countless members, this somehow odd mix of different skilled criminals wasn't how she had imagined Levi's subordinates.

„New recruits.“ he explained plainly. „Before I allocate them to a special team, I like to watch their fighting style.“ He pointed over to a blond boy who easily kept up with three broad Titan members. „Do you see this guy over there? Now this is what I call a promising talent.“

Eren crunched her nose. „This is disgusting, you treat them like trained dogs!“

„What you call disgusting is efficient for me.“

She felt Levi behind her shrugging his shoulders, and was reminded of their current position again. Somehow his comforting warmth had distracted her from the fact that she still was pressed inappropriatly close to his chest. Quickly she wiggled out of his embrace and scooted over to the rink again. Levi did nothing to stop her, but he followed her to crouch down and have a better look on the scene underneath them.

With a loud barge the door was kicked in, and two Titanmembers approached the battle field, whipping out guns and yelling commands at the recruits. Levi didn't seem to be fazed in the least, he just raised his hand.

„It's about time, Nifa.“ he said in a bored voice.

The woman with the short dark hair stepped to the edge of the roof, in her hand two brown pistoles similar to the ones Eld used back on the Scouting Legion Tower. In the same manner like him, she shot out wires to a wall, jumped down and let herself been pulled towards the armed Titanmembers in a terrifying speed. During her spectacular flight manoeuvre she managed it to kick down the two armed men as if they were made of paper.

„What- what is this?“ Eren asked stunned as she watched Nifa store away the pistoles.

„Pretty impressive, huh?“ Levi replied. „Hange developed it. That shit costed a ton of money, but it's worth it every cent.“

Eren eyed him appraisingly. „Aren't you afraid to tell me all those things?“ she asked before she could stop herself.

Levi snorted. „As if you really could arrest me-“

As he noticed the hurt and moreover livid expression on Eren's face, he stopped himself. „C'mon, don't give me that look.“ he quickly said. „I'm speaking about right now, I mean we're surrounded by my people, and you're unarmed and -“

Eren watched his elaboration in astonishment, and she fought hard to bit back a smile.

„Wait, are you trying to comfort me?“ she asked incredulously.

The thought of Levi explaining his behavior to make an agent like her feeling better was just to strange.

„Does ist work?“ Levi ran a hand through his ebony hair, a hint of insecurity in his gestures. „Otherwise I could think of some other ways to comfort you-“

Eren rolled her eyes. And back was the smug old asshole.

„And I can think about twenty ways of kicking your ass right now,“ She knew that Levi hold the whip hand in this situation, but she couldn't help to growl back. „So if you wanna stay unharmed keep your hands to yourself!“

The mafia leader sighed as he got on his feet again.

„Still having a stick up your ass, Agent Yeager?“ he said mockingly and began to stretch his shoulders.

Eren had a hard time to tear her gaze away from these incredible muscels that were showing underneath his T-Shirt and huffed.

„Oi, wanna play along?“ Levi's voice wafted over to her, and she quickly looked away. „I could leave two or three Titans to you. Beating the shit out of them is a pretty good stress-relief.“

Eren sent him a dark look. „Ehm, no, I'm definetly not fraternising with you!“ she huffed once again.

„Too bad.“ he clicked his tongue. „Could have been fun.“

She could not decipher if the regretful tone in his voice was faked or real.

„Mikasa.“ Levi spoke up, and in the next second Eren could already hear the landing of heavy combat boots on the roof tops, as the ravenhaired woman had jumped down to approach them.

She smiled at Eren. „Hey, how are you?“

„Uhm, thanks, fine I guess-“ the agent answered baffled at her sudden appearance.

„Mikasa, accompy Eren out of the danger zone.“ Levi interrupted their greeting.

His sister nodded and dragged the agent gently but firmly to her feet.

„Wait, no I haven't seen all-“ Eren protested, but the mafia leader just smirked at her.

„Goodbye Eren,“ he said with a flash in his eyes. „See you soon.“

Then he hopped down to help his new recruits, disappearing from Eren's field of view.

She sighed and followed Mikasa, who lead her out of the area with gentle force. The gang member brought her some streets further till she said her goodbye to Eren.

The agent poundered a moment about what to do next. It would be pretty useless to inform the other teams at the Department. If they had sat back idly before, it wouldn't be different today.

Without even realising it, Eren had slowly lost her unwavering trust into the Scouting Legion.

So instead she walked all the way back to her home. She looked at all the folders and papers on her desk, all the information she had summoned up about the Titans in the last days. Eren had worked through tons of these, but nothing she was able to get was new or helpful in any way to her.

She really wasn't in the mood to slump down in front of her laptop and search for information again today, so instead she changed into more comfortable clothes and went for a run through the park. After all she needed to make sure to stay in form, even if she was suspended at the moment.

 

Three hours later Eren sank into the pillows of her comfortable soft bed, and finally she was able to relax. The day had been eventfull and exhausting, but this was all better than drowning in boredom and having nothing to do.

Eren yawned and glanced at the alarm clock on her nightstand, which showed 11:31 pm. Maybe a bit early to fall asleep at such a time in her holidays, but she didn't mind as she closed her eyes and was overcome with sleep.

 

_Bare-footed Eren walked over the bright green grassland, feeling the soft blades tickling her skin. The area she was walking in wasn't familiar to her, and she also didn't know where exactly she was going, but she knew that she had to find Erwin as soon as possible._

_He needed to know that something wasn't right with this case, and that he shouldn't put his trust in such a shady excuse of an agent like Nile Dok._

_While she was searching for her boss, several people started gathering behind her, whispering, staring at her. Eren quickened her step and wanted to get away from them, but suddenly she bumped into a young boy with a flat cap on his head. He looked right through Eren, revealing a charming tooth gap as he smiled at the other people. Whipping out a newspaper and waving it frantically in the air, the boy began to shout._

_„Special edition! Special edition! Agent Eren Yeager and mafia boss Levi are in love!“ he called out loudly. „Read about the whole scandal on page 3!“_

_„What-“ Eren exclaimed horrified. „No, shut up, nobody needs to know!“_

_She lunged forwards, wanted to silence him, but it was too late, the crowd of judging people already approached them, grasping greedily after the magazines. The paper boy turned to Eren and grinned at her._

_„The public has a right to know, Eren.“ he said laughing. „No need to be shy, now tell us, how did his lips feel on yours?“_

_The mob turned it's attention to her as well, and she could see the sensationalism flashing in their eyes._

_„Yes, tell us, tell us!“ they screamed, and Eren backed away._

_It was no use; they just came closer and closer each second. She started to run, away from all the intruders that wanted to rip apart her privacy, but she didn't have a clue where to hide. Almost relieved she noticed a big dark forest in front of her, and she stepped on, ran deep into the woods to save herself from the prying eyes. As she was sure that nobody had followed her to this point, she started to wander around to find an exit. But the more she wandered, the deeper she seemed to get into the forest, and she began to fear that she wouldn't get out._

_Suddenly it got darker, the air filled with a heavy tension that crawled under Eren's skin._

_She wanted to get away from here as soon as possible, because she already knew what would come next, she had seen it countless times by now. Eren tried to run, but her feet wouldn't carry her anymore; the thick red liquid under them was too slippery; she stumbled and fell._

_„No, no ...“ she whimpered as she crawled on all fours forwards. „I don't want it...“_

_Her hands were covered in blood now, and Eren started screaming. „Go away, no, NO-“_

_„Eren.“_

_She looked up and saw piercing grey eyes shining through the darkness of the forest, and suddenly the air became clearer, brighter. Eren's rapid breathing returned to normal, and as Levi approached her she finally could fill her lungs with air again._

_He bent down to her, a blurr of colours whooshing around in her mind, and Eren felt dizzy._

_„It was not my fault! He didn't deserve it!“ she called out to Levi, as if he could grant any kind of forgiveness._

_Desperate for human warmth, she wrapped her arms around him and dragged him closer. First Levi stiffened in surprise, but then he hugged her back, running his fingers down her spine in a reassuring manner._

_„You know it wasn't my fault, don't you.“ she murmured into his neck, clenching her fists into his shirt._

_„Shh, Eren, shh. It was not your fault.“ he said low, stroking her hair until Eren finally was able to relax „Now calm down and lay back.“_

_„Don't tell me what to do.“ she whispered in a slurred voice and nuzzled deeper into the crook of his neck. „I hate you, Levi.“_

_Gently he pushed her back, leaning his forehead against hers and looked deep into her eyes. Eren shuddered at the loss of his warmth, but the feeling of him staring down to the bottom of her soul was so much more warming and filling._

_„No, you don't hate me.“ Levi murmured and cupped her face tenderly._

_Eren blushed and averted his gaze. „Maybe not.“ she said stubbornly. „But you're still an ass.“_

_Levi chuckled at this, and this deep comforting noise danced around in Eren's mind, pushed aside the dark thoughts of the nightmare and replaced the shady forest with her familiar bed room. A warm and relieved smile graced Eren's features._

_Slowly Levi leaned in closer and pressed his lips gently on hers, carressing them with so much care she thought she'd melt. Eren replied instantly, feeling completely comforted and at ease._

_This time the kiss was not heated and feverish, but sweet and careful, and Levi took his time to cherish her lips. Eren's whole body felt light and tinglish, and she was sure she'd float away if Levi didn't held her. In this moment, she just consisted of warmth and tenderness._

_When their lips finally parted with a smacking noise, Eren sighed blissfully._

_Levi stroked her face and looked into her dazed eyes, making sure she felt better now._

_„Did it feel like this when you kissed Wagner?“ he eventually asked._

_„No.“ Eren murmured absentmindly, leaning into his touch. Almost inaudible she added „It didn't feel right with Thomas.“_

_Levi genuinely smiled as he watched her relaxing under his fingers._

_„I'm relieved then.“ he said softly._

_„Levi,“ Eren mumbled and closed her eyes, leaning against him. „Why're you here again? 'Don't like it when you show up in my dreams. 'S kinda creepy.“_

_„Sorry, Eren. I'll be gone in a minute.“ she heard an undertone of amusment in his voice. „I'm just here to bring back your phone.“_

_He gently pushed her down into the pillows, and a surprising delightful tiredness swept over her._

_„Now lay back and rest.“_

_Levi gave her a light kiss on the forehead, and Eren could barely whisper a „I swear to god, if the phone has a tracking advice again...“ before she drifted away._

 

Eren slowly opened her eyes, feeling strangely refreshed and relaxed.

Looking out of the window, she noticed that the city still was enveloped by the dimly light of dawn. She glanced at the watch and was surprised that it was only 4 am. Usually she wouldn't wake up before 10 without her alarm clock, but now Eren felt oddly awake.

The strange dream from before still lingered in the back of her mind as she stretched and stood up.

Eren walked over to the balcony door, wondering why it was ajar despite her closing it yesterday evening. Maybe it was broken again and couldn't withstand the strong nightwind. She would have to call the old janitress in the morning, just to make sure.

Humming a melody, she walked over to the open kitchen to grab a glass of milk, as she suddenly stopped dead in tracks, blood running cold.

With eyes widened in horror Eren stared at her carmine red flip phone on the kitchentable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry about Eren's tantrums - character development will kick in soon!


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi has a meeting with some criminals that doesn't go exactly as he thought. Also, Eren seems to be unable to enjoy some freetime.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovely readers, new update with a new beta (thanks to Nariko!), I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> I also have totally random good news, and I just HAVE to share it with you because I'm dancing happily like an idiot through my flat right now: my thing from summer finally went well, I got my results and I'm still fucking healthy, wohooo!!! Hope I can concentrate better on writing and university-stuff now. Anyways, hope you also have a nice week and great holidays if you celebrate christmas, hugs and kisses to all of you! *backflips out of the window*

Levi took a deep drag from his cigarette, enjoying the burning feeling in his lungs.

He was about to go to another meeting with some criminals and people he intended to do business with, and he needed to clear his mind, the nicotine doing just the trick. This morning had been quite hard for him to stay focused on work, thanks to a certain bright-eyed agent who had been occupying his thoughts. His visit to Eren's home the night before had been pretty spontaneous, and normally he could have easily transferred the task to one of his subordinates; usually a boss of a big organization like him didn't bother doing simple jobs like deliveries, but he wasn’t your average mafia leader, and Eren was a outlier in his plans. Plus, he wasn’t like those lazy fat-ass crime lords who just sat back and watched. He wanted to feel the positively electrifying sensation of doing something dangerous himself.

And, he admitted to himself, he had wanted to see how Eren looked like when she was sleeping peacefully, with no chains or drugs in the equation. Levi didn't know what exactly he had expected; maybe he had hoped for Eren looking like a sweet innocent angel in her sleep, but the open, unguarded side of her he had come across that night took him by surprise.

He should have known better – sadly, Eren hadn't been as quiet and peaceful in her sleep like he had imagined, for he found her with her sheets kicked off her body, whimpering and tossing and turning. The light-blue tank top she wore to bed that night was bunched up around her waist, revealing the sight of tanned bare skin and a perfect naval. Adding the little noises escaping her mouth in her sleep, Levi practiced the upmost self-control to restrain himself from jumping her at the very sight.

But the pained expression on her face made his heart clench, and before he knew it he was moving, the bed sinking slightly as he sat beside her, shaking her shoulder gently to wake her from the nightmare. Now that Levi thought about it, perhaps it wasn’t the smartest move to wake the woman whose apartment you were breaking into, but that was irrelevant. And he was pleasantly surprised to learn of how clingy Eren was when she was half asleep. Being the selfish bastard he was, Levi couldn't find the will to stop her, instead enjoying every single second of it, even stealing a kiss from her. Levi smirked as he thought about Eren's face when she realized that the whole situation hadn’t been a dream; he only lamented not being there to see it.

But now wasn’t the time to be smiling like an idiot; he had work to do. The other gangsters he was about to face would jump on the idea of Levi showing some kind of weakness, and Levi wasn’t about to throw them any sort of bone, metaphorical or otherwise. That’s just unsanitary.

Letting the cigarette fall to the ground, Levi signaled Mikasa that it was about time to go. The rest of his elite squad was in the area as well, making sure that there were no potential enemies wandering around, but as his right-hand-woman, Mikasa was allowed to attend the meeting as well.

The meeting was set to take place in a strip club, frequented by the scum Levi was about to come face-to-face with. This sort of establishment wasn’t Levi’s cup of tea, but the rest of the lot were more than happy to have the meeting here. The owner of the club, a balding man named Dot Pixis, was Levi’s newest business partner, and needless to say, Levi wasn’t going to get on the man’s bad side by being rude. The money Pixis provided for protection of his snazzy club was good business.

A smiling woman in a glittering dress greeted Levi and Mikasa and lead them toward a private room in the back of the club. Without bothering to knock, Levi entered the room, where a bunch of other people in more or less expensive looking suits where sitting around a round table, drinking whiskey and smoking cigarettes. When they noticed his appearance, they all stood in a sign of respect, and maybe a little fear. No one wanted to piss the most powerful criminal in the city after all.

Levi greeted a few of the more important ones and made his way to the red cushioned chair that was reserved for him.

Levi’s arrival signaled the meeting to begin. Between playing cards and drinking alcohol they discussed the situation of the underground, debated about rivaling gangs and established contact with each other. Levi knew all of them more or less on a personal level, but that didn't meant he liked all of them. Some were decent people you could actually talk to without losing brain cells, but most were the uncultured swine of the underground that he only used as his pawns.

One of these dumbasses was Hugo, a guy that has grated Levi’s nerves ever since he met him. He always said the wrong things at the wrong time, his morals were more than suspect and he had the mysterious talent to look like a sluggish racoon all the time. And what was even worse was his lack of hygiene. Levi swore to whatever god that took the time to listen that one day he would pour out a whole bottle Febreze over his head if he continued to avoid showering properly.

Levi found himself narrowing his eyes at the man, debating if somebody would notice if he'd poison his whiskey with just a tiny bit of the hand sanitizer he always kept with him , when Levi's phone suddenly started ringing. Sighing, he answered it. Eld informed him that they were having some trouble with police officers in the third district right now, and although it was nothing dramatic enough to truly worry himself over, he told Eld not to worry and hung up, beckoning Mikasa closer with a finger where she stood behind him. He whispered to her the situation, and with a sarcastic “Have fun, Levi” she was off, closing the door to the private room almost silently behind her as she went. She never favored these kinds of gatherings anyway, and Levi was slightly jealous that she got to leave. Sitting here doing nothing while he could be out on the town doing something useful was killing him, but if he wanted to maintain his position as the strongest mafia boss in the city, despite his infamous strength, he had to attend these shitty meetings.

Ian Dietrich eyed him curiously as Levi slipped his phone back into his pocket.

“Anything wrong?” he asked warily.

Dietrich had the honor of being on eof the few men Levi got along with in this filthy group of gangsters; he was loyal and reliable, and the Wings of Freedom made business with him often. Levi just waved his hand dismissively.

“Nothing serious,” he said, “just some problems with the law, as usual.”

Dietrich nodded in understanding, and the simple conversation would have ended there if a certain idiot named Hugo wouldn’t have decided to butt in and let stupidity spill from his filthy mouth.

“Well I heard that you’ve fucked the law lately, Levi.” the man drawled, and the other criminals in the room were torn between shock and amusement, judging by their comically twisted grimaces.

Some of them dared to let out a small laugh, but the smarter of them just stayed silent and waited for the storm that was bound to come.

Levi slowly turned his attention to the stupid man that dared to address him, the most powerful criminal in the city, like this, but remained silent and waited if Hugo would be dumb enough to continue. And in fact, instead of knowing better, Hugo leaned forward curiously.

“So, just between ourselves, are the rumors true?” he said in a jovial tone, as if they were best buddies. “The great icy mafia leader Levi banged this agent chick and snatched her away from her boyfriend? What a waste. You really have a soft spot for such a plain girl?”

 _Oh ho_.

Not only did Hugo just insult him to his face, laughing to himself like he just made some fantastic joke, but he actually had the nerve to insult Eren as well. Eren being called “plain?”

What an ignorant asshole.

“If you believe a fucking newspaper that wouldn't even be worth enough to wipe the shit off my ass,” Levi began, putting his gun in front of him at the table, all the while glaring at the idiot across from him, “then why don't you come outside with me and find out how much of a lovesick softie I've become?“ Almost gently he trailed his finger along the weapon, before his icy orbs fixated Hugo again. “I recommend bringing a shovel with you, since you seem so intent on digging your own grave. Otherwise I’d just let your smelly corpse rot and become a part of these goddamn filthy streets.”

The atmosphere in the room had fallen a few degrees, as literally everybody was staring at him in fear now. It was exactly the effect Levi had wanted to make of course; he had to show this lousy thug that he was the one in control here.

A single sweat bead dropped down Hugo's face. The fear was clearly visible in his features, but he tried to laugh it off.

“I-it's fine, calm down, it was just a joke. Everybody knows the stories are not true,” Hugo whimpered as he tugged nervously at his cravat.

Levi continued staring at him with an unfathomable gaze, the silence stretching heavily in the room. You could hear the muffled music and laughter from the show area of the club, but in the room they were in it was like the world was at a standstill. Everybody held their breath, waiting for Levi's next move. Hugo fidgeted uncomfortably in his chair, eyes flickering every so often to the gun that still laid on the table in front of the mafia boss. Finally Levi leaned back, but not without tapping at the weapon once more, enjoying Hugo's following flinch, and spoke up with a smooth voice.

“I thought so.”

The more or less terrified expressions of the other gangsters slowly began to vanish with the tension, and with that it was clear: nobody would make business with Hugo for the next few weeks. No one would risk heralding Levi’s wrath, it was just not worth it. Hugo was lucky that he was still alive, and if he behaved smart enough and stayed silent, he might survive the next month or so—until he pisses Levi off yet again, which was inevitable.

Pixis broke the heavy silence first.

“Well, good that Levi gave you a piece of his mind, otherwise I'd have done it. Don't speak about Eren in such a disrespecting manner again, or you'll get in trouble with me.”

The last part of his statement had a dangerous lilt to it, and even Levi felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up, before what he said and sunk in. He hid his surprise behind the mask of a stoic face as he glanced at Pixis.

“What, do you know Agent Yeager personally?” he asked, eyes not focused on the old man at first, instead on the playing cards he received for the next game from Dietrich. Cards at the ready, Levi shifted his eyes to Pixis.

Pixis noticed the calculating gaze and smiled smugly. “Oh yes, Eren's often here, she even gets free drinks on the house when she's nearby.” he said, receiving a few surprised looks from other gangsters in the room.

“Not what you think...” Pixis clicked his tongue. “You know Historia, the blond goddess that performed earlier? She’s actually one of my best dancers, and Eren happens to be her cousin.”

Levi cocked his brow in interest at this. He had had no idea about this, as the background checkup he had running on Eren wasn’t finished yet. Before he could say anything, though, Hugo let out a bitter laugh. This idiot clearly didn't know when to shut his trap.

“That's nice and all, but doesn't explain why a defender of the law lingers in such a shady place.” Hugo hiccuped.The shock from before apparently had lead him to drink a whole glass of whiskey with one gulp. Not his smartest move, Levi decided.

“Nothing about this place is shady, and if you say anything like that again I’ll be there with Levi to bury your rotting body.” Pixis alleged, his eyes flashing with a threatening glint.

Levi nodded at this; he would have no complaints about this arrangement. Hugo paled and shut his mouth.

“And just so you are aware; Eren is here to pick up her cousin when Historia's girlfriend has not the time to do so. She is not able to be alone for a long time, let alone walk home at night. Not that I can blame her though...“ Pixis trailed off and scratched his chin.

Levi watched him warily. “Hm, why?”

Pixis seemed more than happy to answer, as he loved hearing himself talk. “Well, a few years ago, when Historia became popular as a dancer, there was this mad pervert. He stalked, ambushed and eventually raped her.” The man was silent for a few moments, and Levi could see the hate and despair in his face.

“Though it didn't happen in my club—she was walking home when it happened—I can't forgive myself that I hadn't been able to take care of her security. This sick bastard took advantage of Historia's gentle and kind nature, and he absolutely destroyed her. She had to struggle with anxiety attacks and flashbacks for such a long time.” Pixis gritted his teeth.

It was the first time ever that Levi saw him with such a dark look in his eyes. He noted to himself to never piss off this man without a good reason—Pixis sure as hell could be one dangerous man, that much he was sure of.

“You know, I can take care of human waste like that.” Levi said and arranged the cards in his hands neatly. “Just tell me the name and I'll make sure that this fucker won't even lay an eye on another woman again.“

Pixis nodded towards him and stroked his moustache as he spoke. “Thanks, I appreciate it. But there's no need anymore.” A mischievous glint flashed in his eyes. “Some weeks after the incident I tried to get to him, but someone must have been faster than me. I found nothing but a shit ton of his blood in his house when I paid him a visit. Seems that he had debts with the wrong people. Not that anybody seems to miss him, though.” Pixis grinned bitterly and took a sip of the alcohol in front of him.

“Anyway, what was I saying?” he mused, “Ah, Eren. She often visits Historia here, whenever she has the time, and the girls like her.” The bald man seemed to be getting very talkative, be it because of the alcohol or because of the fact that Levi actually seemed to listen to his rant. “I can't complain about her presence, either. You know, last year we had a problem with a group of very rude customers; they offended my staff and groped the dancers. And the idiots of security guys I had hired back then weren't able to get the situation under control.”

He took another sip and licked his lips appreciatively.

“So without further ado Eren stepped in and beat the shit out of all those guys. One of them even thought she'd been one of the dancers and forced her onto his lap, so she looked him dead in the eye while she broke his arm ever so slowly, and he cried and begged for mercy. It was just too good to watch.” Pixis snickered at the memory. “Those morons never showed up again, and since then Eren has been more than welcome here, though she doesn’t have much time to do so anymore since she started chasing you, Levi.”

He grinned at the mafia boss. “She'd kill me if she knew I invited you over.”

Levi had listened in amusement, the picture of Eren giving those fuckers a hell of a time ever so vibrant in his mind. Though he couldn't help the itching feeling of jealousy and protectiveness in his chest at the thought of some shady guy dragging her onto his filthy lap. But it was long time ago now, and he knew that Eren was perfectly capable of defending herself. At least when she didn't manage to get kidnapped by the Titans, but that was another story.

 

They continued playing cards and exchanging information in an almost relaxed atmosphere, when one of the pretty dressed waitresses bent down to whisper something into Pixis' ear. The man grinned smugly and responded to her in a low voice. Levi couldn't make out what he was actually saying, but a short time after that Pixis raised his voice to address everyone in the room.

“My dear friends, now that the business discussions have drawn to a close, it's time to have some fun, I'd say.” he announced.

Some of the criminals looked up excitedly. Levi suspected that whatever Pixis was planning was the reason everyone wanted the meeting to be at his club.

“Please enjoy the delicious sight of my lovely ladies dancing for you! And although we all know that the rumors are not true—“ he added, smugly looking at Levi, “I have a very special surprise for my guest of honor here.“

Levi's jaw clenched as he eyed the man suspiciously. The words didn't inspire confidence. What had this smug bastard planned? Levi's mind ran wild with several theories about how Pixis could possibly try to question his power or things like this, but he was definitely not prepared for what happened next.

Gracefully the strippers strutted in, all wrapped in different, mostly colorful dresses, but one of the women attracted Levi's attention on the spot. She wore a more revealing than hiding police uniform, net stockings and a skirt that was short enough to be called a waist belt. Although the brunet hair of the woman was a little too long, she had tamed it into a small bun similar to the one Eren always wore.

Levi had no doubt who the dancer was supposed to represent.

However, Eren never actually wore those big police caps the look-alike had placed on her head at a slant. She sauntered over to him, swinging her hips seductively to the rhythm of the background music Levi just now noticed.

“If I may introduce, this is Tanja, one of my new dancers.” Pixis said with a smirk. “But of course, tonight you can call her whatever you want, Levi.”

The other criminals in the room muffled some giggles, but all of them were too busy admiring the other women in front of them to really care about it. Levi sent Pixis a deadly glare.

“What the fuck is your problem, you old shit—“

He was interrupted by the sensation of slender fingers on his shoulders and looked up. The stripper, Tanja, had had the nerve to touch his body with her glittered fingers, and fuck there was glitter everywhere, all over his suit now, why do people have to wear this shit in the first place—

Levi inhaled deeply. Before he wanted to snap at her to back the fuck off, but to be honest, his eyes were glued to her body that moved along with the music in a seductive manner.

Tanja was of a short stature, but the dim light in the room emphasized all of her curves in a delicate way, and her blue eyes shone at Levi mischievously.

She was beautiful, no doubt; but she was _not Eren_.

But Levi couldn't stop himself thinking about how Eren would look in this tight uniform. She'd look more athletic than Tanja; the high stockings would hug her legs just right, and he was almost sure he'd see some muscles on her tanned abdomen. Her dazed green eyes would lock with his when she'd walk to him with tantalizing hips, straddling Levi's thighs to sit down on his lap. Eren would trail her fingers down his chest, maybe even tug at his cravat, arch her back to press up against his body, and he would see her perfect small breasts pop out of this illegal scanty top and the scent of sweet fruit would hit him hard when Eren would lean forward to breath into his ear, “Levi—“

 _Fuck, this is hardly the time to pop a goddamm boner now, Levi!_ He scolded himself and banned the image of a more than willing Eren to the back of his mind.

Tanja continued her lap dance, roaming her fingers down to his pants, and Levi finally found the will to swat her hands away.

“Goddammit, I don't want this shit, go and pester someone else with your touching!”

The two men next to him, who were very engaged in handing bank notes to the dancers, laughed.

“Oh Levi, you get one of the most charming ladies here and you're still complaining?” Dietrich snickered. “Are you really interested in your little sweetheart or are you just playing hard to get with Tanja?”

Dietrich, that bastard. If the guy hadn't been one of his most important weapon providers, Levi would have punched him in the face.

“Shut up and mind your own business.” he hissed back.

Tanja pouted at him with big blue eyes, demanding attention by reinforcing her attempts to convince him of her qualities. Levi had enough of this shit and had to use physical force to get her off his lap, spilling some whiskey on his shirt in the progress.

“Oh, fucking wonderful.“ Levi spat and jumped to his feet, trying to wipe the strain off his shirt.

He wanted to yell at this fucking stripper who dared to drench him in alcohol, but as he saw the utterly scared and terrified expression on Tanja's face, he stopped. Levi knew too goddamm well about his reputation in the underground, and the dancer was probably fearing for her life. After all, it sure as hell hadn't been her own idea and desire to dress up as another woman and serve him this way.

He suppressed the urge to shake her vigorously, but the feeling of dirt and filth on his body spread in his abdomen and he had to restrain himself from freaking out.

“Where's the bathroom?” he just asked her through clenched teeth.

Tanja, still too shocked to say a single word, pointed to the right and watched him storm out of the room.

Rubbing vigorously at the spot on his shirt, Levi hastened to get to the bathroom as soon as possible. Pixis would pay for putting him into a situation like this, for sure. He still didn't have a clue why the old man had decided it would be a good idea to provoke him like this in public. Levi had taken him for a smart man after all, but maybe the guy really was too buzzed from the whiskey to make the right decisions.

Cursing, Levi pushed open the door from the private room, tearing his eyes from the offensive spot on his shirt to search for the fastest route to the bathroom, as his attention was suddenly drawn to a woman in front of him.

This time it was no dressed-up dancer; this time Levi locked gazes with the same beautiful green eyes that had haunted him for months now.

Eren, the very cause of his latest perverted fantasies, leaned lazily against the bar, watching him with raised eyebrows. Of course she didn't wear the tight stripper uniform from his imagination, but that didn't mean she wouldn't look extremely hot with her dark brown leather jacket, loose bikini-kill-shirt and a pair of tight ripped jeans.

“Eren!” Levi exclaimed in surprise, his mouth completely dry.

She looked him over suspiciously, taking in his somehow disheveled appearance with his loosened cravat, and her eyes flickered from the glitter on his shoulders down to his open fly. Eren's brows rose even higher, and Levi cursed his bad luck for the fact that Eren had to show up today, in this club, where he would look like one of those assholes who just had sex or whatever with one of the strippers.

_Of fucking course._

Quickly he zipped up, trying desperately to think of an excuse that sounded less pathetic then 'It's not what it looks like'.

“It's not—I mean, I didn't—“

 

Eren had not the patience to listen to his bullshit. An itching feeling of anger and confusion bubbled up in her chest, and she had to set the bottle of coke that was in her hand back on the bar, or else she might have thrown it at him. She couldn't explain the feeling of irritation that took over her.

“Go ahead and enjoy yourself,“ she sneered, trying to sound as if she didn't care _at all_ what he was doing here. “I don't mind. Once you're in jail the only chance of you getting laid is dropping the soap and—“

She was just about to finish the sentence, as one of the dancers emerged behind him, and Eren almost choked on her words. The woman, Tanja if she remembered right, wore one of those absolutely unrealistic police uniforms that was just used for strip shows. As if that wasn’t enough, she had her brunet hair half-tied together into a little bun similar to the one Eren usually made. She was not only dressed up as a ridiculous version of a female police officer, _she was fucking dressed up as Eren_.

“Levi, you forget your phone—“ Tanja said, her voice faltering with the last word as she recognized who was in front of her. “Oh, uh. Hey Eren.” she added, immediately looking down at her feet in shame, Levi's ringing mobile phone still in her hands.

For a brief moment the music had stopped, and the club drowned in silence, as if the world had just stopped for a second. Eren's widened eyes flickered between Levi and Tanja back and forth, and slowly the unintended meaning of the situation sank in.

_He fucking had sex with a stripper that looked like me._

This one thought burned everything else that had been on her mind, making her sick.

“This—“ she whispered aghast, her mouth dry, pulse racing. “This is disgusting!”

“Eren—“

She whipped around, not wanting to be faced with this bullshit only one second longer, and snapped at the bartender instead.

“Marco, tell Historia I'm waiting in the staff room!”

Marco nodded, and Eren stomped away, back into the staff section, slamming the door behind her.

 

Levi debated running after her to clear this mistake, but he was hold back by a gentle, yet strong grip on his shoulder.

“Oh no. What a terrible misunderstanding.” Pixis murmured low behind him, voice dripping with sarcasm. “You better leave her alone, I'm afraid Eren doesn't want to have anything to do with you right now.”

Levi whipped around, furiously clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white, ready to give this man a broken nose.

“You son of a bitch.” he hissed, “Why did you do this?!”

“I didn't do anything, Levi. I just asked my beautiful dancers to entertain you—that’s my job you know. To think that Eren would be here today, in that exact moment, and catch you in the act...” he shook his head. “Well, maybe it wasn’t all bad that it turned out like this. She’s a smart girl, and it would be a shame if her career was threatened simply because she let herself get involved with you.“ Pixis droned in a low tone.

Levi thought he detected a dangerous glint in the old man’s eye as he glared at him.

“Anyway, I hope this unfortunate little incident won't affect our work, Levi. Because I’m really looking forward to our future plans.” Pixis' voice dripped into a low whisper that was only meant to be heard by Levi. “But just be aware that I'm not one of those blind, foolish street dogs out there. I'll be a loyal business partner to you, but if you ever happen to use me or my people for anything less than desirable, remember that I know your weak spot.“

 

\---

 

Eren was more than furious than ever as she tapped her foot impatiently against the cold cement floor, littered with glitter and broken fake nails.

She was leaning next to an oversized golden mirror, still waiting in the staff room for Historia. Her cousin was about to change into casual clothes next to her, and Eren really couldn't wait to finally leave this godforsaken place.

Would this incident have happened some weeks ago, she definitely would have let Levi have it, but she was having trouble just with the simple task of getting her thoughts together. If she acted then, there was no telling what the state of the club would be in after she was done “talking” to him.

How dared Levi objectify and disrespect her in such a disgusting manner? What was she to him, a fucking fetish? Replacing her by a stripper like that.

Wait, this was a strange thought. Levi couldn't replace something he never actually _had_. She shook her head and hoped that Historia would just hurry the fuck up.

When she was finished changing, Historia tried to calm her down with gentle words, but it was no use; Eren was beyond the point of calming down with simple words.

“Eren, this is a strip club, what did you expect? Of course sooner or later some of the women would wear a police uniform like that.” Historia tried to reason.

“That's not the problem!“ Eren snarled. “Tanja didn’t only wear a police uniform, you could hardly overlook the fact that she was dressed up as _me_! Even though I'm technically an agent and not an ordinary police officer,” she added muttering, “But I can't believe that Levi is hanging around here in the first place.”

“Didn't you say—and I quote—that you 'don't fucking care what this asshole does in his free time, as long as it's not illegal'?” Historia's face remained stern, but her blue eyes glinted with amusement. “Eren, is it possible that you actually _do_ care?”

The agent sent her cousin a livid glare, but was spared an answer as the door opened slowly.

Tanja stood in front of them, still dressed in the ridiculous police outfit, an apologetic look on her face.

“Eren, I'm sorry—“ she began, but was cut off sharply by Eren.

“Oh come on,” Eren threw her hands in the air in exasperation. “Could you at least _please_ change into a different outfit?”

Tanja grabbed and quickly threw a dressing gown over herself, before she hurried over to Eren.

“I'm sorry Eren, it wasn’t my intention to make fun of you or something like that—“ Tanja choked, her blue eyes filling with tears.

Before she'd start to cry, Eren gently took her shoulder.

“Look, I know it wasn’t your fault. I’m not mad at you. I’m just angry that that _asshat_ thought it was okay to pull some shit like this. I just felt so angry, I took it out on you. It should be me who’s apologizing here.”

Tanja straightened up in relief.

“Thank you…” she murmured shakily, a smile forming on her lips.Now Tanja was relieved, but nevertheless a bit conflicted. She felt she needed to tell Eren one more thing.

“It wasn't Levi who told me to wear this, you know. It was Pixis' idea.” she explained. “In fact, Levi seemed to be rather disgruntled by the whole thing. Although my performance was as flawless as ever.“ She stated proudly.

Eren was surprised by the news. Why would Pixis of all people insist on doing something like that? She was confused, but somehow Tanja's explanation had calmed her dangerously high rage level down. Eren nodded and thanked her for the information, but her mind was whirling, and Tanja turned away to the closet, picking out a new outfit to put on in replacement to the one Eren was considering burning.

Eren stood there for the next few minutes, unusually quiet, drowning in her own thoughts, till Historia finally was ready and they both were able to head home.

 

\---

 

Finally at home, Eren found the time to slump down on the couch with a loud sigh.

The incident in the club had stirred her up, and she still felt unsettled. Which was ridiculous, because the whole thing was cleared up now. So why did it still bother her?

Maybe the thought of Levi having a stripper dress up as her wasn’t what was bothering her. Maybe it was having _Levi be with another woman_ at all.

Eren buried her face in her hands.

_Let's face it, Eren. You were jealous. You have feelings for Levi._

“…fuck,” she muttered.

There was no denying it anymore; she had fallen in love with a criminal. Fucking wonderful.

How did it come so far? Why in the ever living hell did it have to be an arrogant asshole like Levi? Why, of all people, did it have to be the man she was dedicating her career to hunting?

She had desperately tried to tell herself that it was nothing but physical attraction, but deep inside her she had known for a long time now that it was not only his body she was attracted to. It was the fact that they definitely had a dazzling chemistry together, that for some reason their bodies were attracted to each other’s like magnets.

But wait, it wasn’t just that either.

Eren actually _liked_ Levi.

She remembered that feeling of warmth and tenderness that had filled her body when Levi just had given her a simple kiss. Even the mere memory of the sensation caused her stomach to drop and her lips to smile faintly. Despite her anger about him breaking into her own flat, Eren somehow wanted Levi to come back the next night, she wanted to kiss him over and over, maybe in a less innocent but more passionate way—

“Goddammit, Eren, you're so fucking stupid.” she sighed to herself.

Trying to distract herself from the images of a certain gray-eyed gangster that kept invading her thoughts, she got up and went to grab a bottle of cold water from the fridge, as she stopped halfway through and had second thoughts.

Maybe it was a good idea to call Armin and tell him what happened. After all, he was the one who encouraged her to admit any “confusing feelings”. Maybe he also could give her some advice on what to do next. Lord only knew she was lost in this “feelings” department.

She snatched her phone up from the counter and dialed Armin’s number, tapping her fingers impatiently as it rung. But instead of the cheerful voice of her friend she was confronted with the monotone voice of the answering machine. She closed her eyes briefly and sighed.

_What time is it anyway?_

Ah. It was very likely that Armin was absorbed in his little world of books again, and there was no way he’d answer her call now. Eren left him a message, asking him to call back later, and walked over to the couch again. Before she was able sit down, her phone started ringing.

Assuming it was Armin, she flipped it open without looking at the number.

“Armin, I said later, it's not that impor—“

“Eren.”

One word of that deep velvety voice at the other end of the phone caused her heart to beat faster and her eyes widened. She cursed inwardly at the effect Levi had on her by only saying her name, and almost wanted to hang up.

“Levi? What the—“ She wanted to yell at him, shout at him, but sighed and closed her eyes. God only knew why, but she would let him talk, just this once. It wouldn't change a damn thing if she'd shout at him now. “Okay, what is it. Keep it short.”

She heard a deep sigh before Levi began to speak. “I just wanted—It wasn’t my fault, okay?“ he began, “Back in the club I mean. I didn't—“

She heard him take another deep breath once more.

“Goddammit, Eren, I would never do such a thing!”

She wondered if the distress she heard in his voice was real or just fueled by her imagination. After all, Levi had no reason to really feel affected by the incident in the club, right? They had fought so many times now, and she had more than once threatened to kill him. And it wasn’t like Levi was known for his emotional and instable mood.

She sat down on her couch again. Somehow his tone had calmed her down.

“Tanja told me it had been Pixis' idea.” Eren pinched the bridge of her nose. Why was she indulging him?

“Good.” Relief resonated in Levi's voice. “Pixis is an idiot, and for whatever reason that old twat decided to spill his shitty humor in my face and see how I'd react.”

Ah, Levi was back to his old self.

“Listen, you're not an object to me.” he continued. “I mean, hell, you're attractive and all, but I would never tell a stripper to dress up like you. That’s just sick. I know you're more than your—“ he suddenly stopped his sentence in favor of shouting at someone next to him, muffling the receiver with one hand. “FOR FUCK’S SAKE SHITTY GLASSES, stop mumbling into my ear, I know how to hold a damn conversation by myself!”

Eren almost laughed at his outburst, but the familiar female voice at the other end of the phone that spoke up made her heart clench for a second.

“You call that a conversation?” the mocking and cheerful soprano resounded from the background. “You’re awfully optimistic tonight…”

“Is that Hange?” Eren rose to her feet as she asked the question. Her heart hammered wild, and her hands became sweaty. “Are you with Hange right now?”

She heard a rustling noise, and a second later Levi was on the phone again.

“I am,” he said quietly. For a moment it was deathly silent on both ends, even Hange's babbling in the background had died down, but Levi spoke up with a soft voice again. “Do you want to talk to her?”

Eren didn't know how to respond. Hell yes, she wanted to talk to Hange, wanted to hug her and laugh together with her like back in the old days. She missed the cheerful and intelligent woman, she missed her sharp mind and the passionate way she'd talk about science. But Eren also wanted to ask why the fuck she had betrayed her, what was she thinking to join up with a mafia group and spend her life committing gruesome crimes.

Eren parted her lips to mouth an answer, but nothing came out. She was just too confused, filled with too many emotions at once.

Trying once more, she opened her mouth again to reply.

“No.” she said, and she ended the call right there before she could change her mind.

Thoughts still running wild in her mind, she sat down on the couch again. Then she found herself being torn between shock and disbelief as the outcome of the phone call sunk in.

Did she just make up with Levi?

Eren shook her head and ran a hand through her hair.

Also, why did she miss Hange? She had thought that it would be okay now, that she was over losing the scientist as one of her best friends. Hange had decided to be a criminal, therefore she was no friend to Eren anymore. She shouldn’t be caring about people who betrayed her.

On the other hand, she also cared about Mikasa… and apparently about Levi.

Eren groaned distressed. What a fucking mess her life had become.

 

\---

 

The next day Eren felt as unsettled as ever. She tried everything to calm down – go for a run in the park, drink a cup of tea and even listen to some fucking classical music, but after two hours of Beethoven's Fifth she had almost kicked the CD-player out of the window. All the tips she had read on the internet apparently didn't work very well on her.

And if that wasn’t enough, she was tired as hell, as she hadn't been able to sleep the night before. But her racing thoughts were keeping a nap out of the question as well.

She had been pacing her kitchen floor, not knowing what to do in her free time, and even Armin's call back hadn't helped much. To top it off, Eren's suspension would last another 10 days, and she had no idea what to do with all the free time.

She was simply bored as hell.

And then an utterly reckless, moreover stupid thought crossed her mind.

And _hell yes_ , this was the perfect thing to occupy her time.

Filled with new energy and a confident smile on her lips, she packed her things and left the flat.

 

\---

 

Eren sighed as she searched in the glove box for her baseball cap.

Currently, she was sitting in her car waiting for something to happen outside of a shady club. Armin was going to scold her for wandering around on her suspension in search of Levi, but she was at the point where she didn’t give a fuck anymore.

Yes, she knew that she was not authorized to arrest him at the moment, but nobody could stop her from driving to the next town and position herself stealthily in front of the club where Levi was supposed to be.

Eren couldn't even explain herself why she felt the urge to observe the mafia boss even in her free time, but to hell with reasonable thinking. She just needed to do something to soothe the nervous and restless feeling inside her, because she knew what would happen otherwise.

A long time ago Eren had sworn that it would never come again to that point, and she was dreading with foreboding as she allowed her mind to wander to the thoughts she tried to suppress all the time.

The darkness lurked inside her, ready to jump at the chance and come into action. It was there, it had always been there. It had been a part of Eren since she was able to think. Hiding, watching, _waiting_. Normally she had the illusion of being able to control the monster inside her, but there had been a few occasions in the past where she hadn't been able to do so, and something inside her right now was saying it was about time to repeat such an occasion.

Sometimes Eren wondered if all people could feel their inner demons like this — if they all had this overwhelming struggle to keep them in their place. Nobody ever verbalized it, all of the people around her acted as if this dark side was not present within them as well. Well, except for the poor bastards she managed to catch and put into jail. They of course had completely yielded—a thing that she'd never allow herself. After all, she fought for a fair world, where the strong would protect the weak and everybody would live in peace and harmony.

Though, slowly she began to understand Armin's words from the conversation in his car better.

_You're like the two complementing sides of one coin._

Perhaps it was true, maybe she wasn’t so different from Levi after all.

Eren thought back to the first time she had met Levi, remembering the ice cold look in his eyes. Back then she had been convinced that he also had submitted to the dark side inside of him. But in the meantime she had realized that Levi was not the merciless monster she had heard about — it was clear that he cared about the people surrounding him, and the rare soft smile he let slip when he looked at Eren also didn't fit the heartless criminal visage she had imagined him to be. His strange behavior confused her, and Eren just couldn’t read him like the other criminals she had taken down in the past.

To distract herself from thinking about such dangerous things, she quickly hid her messy hair under the baseball cap and stepped out of the car. Nobody was seen on the streets around the club, so Eren carefully approached the big intimidating building.

There was nothing entirely suspicious about it, but she got a strange feeling, like something was about to happen.

Looking into the windows of the ground floor, she was not able to see anything particular, so she searched the perimeter. She was just about to turn around the corner where she assumed the backyard, as she suddenly heard a loud bang and yelled orders.

The noises of fighting and struggling quickly reached her, and Eren hesitated no longer. She ran around the corner and was hit by a rush of adrenaline as she took in the situation.

In the middle of the backyard kneeled a man, his hands bound in the back. Two other men stood around him, one shoving the face of the crouched man into the dirt, and the other pointing a gun at him from a safe distance.

Eren recognized the silky black hair of Levi as his head was yanked from the dirt, and the sight of his stormy gray eyes filled with hatred made her blood boil.

Before she could think about it, her hand was moving. Slowly she lifted her gun, wide eyes glued on the people in front of her.

“Thought you could escape us, huh Levi?“ The guy with the pistol pointed at Levi’s head sneered. “You ungrateful bastard, you were supposed to receive the honor of being killed by the boss himself, but now that you rebelled against us, I’m afraid you’ve lost that privilege.”

The second guy gave Levi a punch before he released his strong grip on him.

“We’ll just snuff your useless life out in this dirty old backyard, and no one can witness your pathetic ending. How does that sound to you, Ackerman? Any last words?”

Levi spat out. “Fuck Ackerman. My name's Levi.”

“You're truly a bastard!” the man with the gun hissed. “Say goodbye to the world!”

They were distracted and didn't take any note of Eren as she slowly stepped closer. Her mind was running wild with all the images of how she had met Levi, how he had teased her at every occasion, how they had kissed and fought together.

The man in front of Levi had cocked his gun.

 _Now_ , she encouraged herself. _Now's your chance. Kill him._

Her eyes glued to her target, she squeezed the trigger.

 

\---

 

Levi had always known that his life would come to an end eventually.

The countless deaths he had seen and also caused by now had predicted what would happen. Though, he felt empty inside as he thought about all the missed chances in his life. He had tried to make choices with no regrets, had told himself that he would never know what outcome to expect. Even then, there were still some things Levi regretted not doing.

 _I should have taken revenge for Isabel and Furlan. I should have protected Mikasa from this sick childhood._ He thought to himself. _I should have kissed Eren more often._

 _I should have told her I love her_.

Levi had always heard stories about how you would see your life pass by like a sappy movie at the moment of your death, but as he finally tore his gaze away from the gun barrel he didn't see himself as a naïve youngster trying his first cigarette. All he could see were piercing, beautiful, determined green eyes that he couldn’t get enough of.

It took a few moments for him to realize that those eyes weren’t some stupid illusion his mind was playing for him as his life oozed out from a hole in his skull. His eyes widened as they locked with the green orbs that had haunted his dreams for months.

He felt more than heard the following gunshot that ripped the air, but to his surprise it was not _his_ body that slumped down to the ground. It was not _his_ head that was spilling blood near his knees. Instead, the filthy Titan in front of him fell down, making some gurgling noises before he died.

Next moment, the companion of the killed man went to whip around in surprise, but before he could even see Eren properly, she had already attacked him. With a determined frown on her face she slammed the big man to the ground, and fuck Levi if that wasn't one of the hottest sights he had ever had the pleasure of seeing in his entire life.

The other titan looked up surprised as his back hit the earth, but he could do nothing against it, as Eren punched him hard in the face that made his eyes flutter shut.

Levi watched her in awe as Eren turned her attention towards him. Her gun still in her hand, they stared at each other for what maybe lasted just a few seconds, but to Levi it felt like an eternity.

Finally Eren sighed and slipped her gun behind her in the waistband of her jeans.

“Are you alright?” She asked as she stepped behind him to examine his bound hands.

“You saved me,” Levi stated without answering her question, still surprised by what just happened.

“I saw some criminals about to murder a man.” Eren murmured as she crouched down. “Of course I stepped in.”

She cut the bonds on his hands with a small pocketknife. “Also, we’re even now.” she added, almost inaudible.

Levi moved his sore wrists experimentally, relieved that nothing was broken.

“Thank you.” he said quietly, looking Eren in the eyes as he said it.

It was hard for him to admit something like that, but Eren had just saved his life.

“You're welcome.” she responded, as she rose to her feet again. “Where is the rest of your squad? Are they around here somewhere?” she asked, looking around.

Levi shook his head. This time all of his squad members had been busy, and so he had only been accompanied by three other lower ranking members of his organization. But apparently those fuckers had been traitors that had lured him into a trap. He would take revenge later for that, after he and Eren got safely somewhere else.

Speaking of which, it would be hard to that while he was barely able to stand.

“So, are you able to walk on your own?” Eren asked, as if reading his mind. “We should disappear from here as soon as possible.”

Fuck, he didn't want her to look down at him like this. He hated this. Levi was the strongest among his own kind, he should at least be able to get his butt into gear on his own. He tried to stand up, but it was no use; he wavered and cursed as his legs failed shakily.

Instead of mocking him about it, Eren just sighed and kneeled next to him, put his arm around her shoulders and slung her own around his waist.

Together they stood up, and Levi was able to take a few steps. Pain shot through his limbs, but he forced himself to keep walking away from the scene.

Eren sensed that Levi was more injured than he wanted to admit, so she supported his body as best as she could.

“Hang in there.” She murmured to encourage him. “My car is not far away from here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally planned to insert a cruel cliffhanger here, but nah, you deserve better, especially after you treated me so nicely with your adorable comments.  
> Next chapters will gonna be fun (at least for me, muahahaha), I waited for them since the beginning of this story. Oh Eren, you better prepare yourself...


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren tries to bring Levi to the Scouting Legion Department, but as expected it's not that easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who was a little shit again and didn't do her university-stuff but wrote fanfiction instead? Yeah, you're right, that was me! Ah, ereri is gonna be the end of me T.T  
> BUT today my holidays finally start and I'll be able to catch up some sleep, travel around and write more cheesy fanfics on the way - what a bright outlook!
> 
> HOWEVER, hope you enjoy this chapter, I had so much fun writing it. I also spread some vague hints here what will happen next - but yeah, maybe they're too cryptical and you won't be able to even notice them. I am way too sleep-deprived to make sense anymore, but at least I tried.
> 
> Have a lovely week darlings!

“Hang in there, my car is not far from here.“

Eren knew they had to hurry before the rest of the Titans would notice their escape, but she was very aware that Levi couldn't walk very fast at the moment. Her heart hammered in her chest the whole way to her vehicle. If one of them showed up now, she knew that she would have no choice but to kill again to escape. It was a matter of life or death, and she preferred that she and Levi were the ones that made it out alive.

Although, she was also very aware of the trouble she was going to be in when the Scouting Legion caught wind of this whole situation.

Finally they stood in front of her dark blue Mercedes, and Eren plopped Levi down into the passenger's seat.

“Jesus, you’re heavier than you look,” she panted.

“’S all muscle, really,” Levi gritted out, also breathing heavy from the pain he was in. “You can even take a look if you want—“

“Stop joking around!” Eren snapped. “You’re seriously injured here!”

“Tch, if I didn't know any better,“ he said with a click of his tongue, “I'd say you actually sound concerned...”

He received nothing but an icy glare in response, before Eren rustled through her jacket pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs, cuffing him before he could say anything in complaint. Levi was actually too tired to mock her about the naive thought of keeping him in place by a simple pair of handcuffs, so he just waited till Eren walked to the other side of the car and got in beside him, taking off the baseball cap and chucking it behind her in the back seat.

Levi flinched at the messy state of the car, but Eren ignored his discomfort in favor of starting the car. Levi leaned his head back in exhaustion, and the picture of this filthy pig smashing his head into the dirt slipped into his mind. He flinched again.

“Eren, do you have a napkin or something?” he asked, voice raspy.

“Huh?” she replied confused, breaking out of her thoughts.

“A napkin dammit, I need to wipe my face!” he said. “Those asshats had the gall to take my gun and my handkerchief and then brilliantly decided to smash my face into the mud!”

“Okay jeeze, I get it,” Eren mumbled, pulling out a small package of Kleenex’s from her back pocket and tossing it to him.

Levi crunched his nose at this poor excuse of a napkin, but seeing as it was all he was gonna get proceeded to gently pulling one from the package and wiping his face, careful for the cuts and bruises.

“Now tell me,” Eren began thoughtfully. “What happened? How did they manage to beat you like that?”

Levi shrugged his shoulders. He wasn’t too keen on explaining his pitiful situation to the woman he happened to be in love with, but this woman also happened to be the one who miraculously rescued him from certain death, so she deserved some answers.

„We had a busy day, and I sent my squad to handle some trouble downtown. So I took three other members with me as bodyguards.“ he explained, tossing the dirty handkerchief into the overflowing glove box. If his plan of winning Eren over would succeed, he would have to show her how to clean properly. No way was he going to tolerate this mess once he had her.

“From what I could tell, at least two of them were with the Titans. The other guy was dead when I found him, but there’s no proof he wasn’t one of them too. They don’t take care of their people very well. In any case, these shitheads wanted to hand me over on a silver platter to their boss, but of course I didn't play along and escaped. Maybe killed two or three of them on the way.” Levi stated nonchalantly.

“Killed—“ Eren repeated the word with a gulp. “But you were tied up and unarmed!”

“Yep.” Levi answered, unfazed.

Eren sent the handcuffs around his wrists a doubting gaze and the thought that maybe it hadn't been the best idea to rely on only them to keep Levi in place crossed her mind.

“Something wrong, Eren?” he asked smugly, hiding his amusement with her slightly panicked gaze.

“N-no, nothing.” She muttered agitatedly, pointedly keeping her eyes on the road.

Like hell she would show any sign of weakness—maybe the rumors were true and Levi was like a stray dog, able to smell fear miles away. Eren would act like the professional she was and moreover, she would keep her cool. She sped up a bit more, the desire to get to her destination as soon as possible before Levi could break her walls down any more her first priority. They were on their way to the city, and of course Eren choose the path that would bring them to the Scouting Legion tower the fastest. Levi noticed the direction they were headed, and apparently didn’t like it.

“Eren, don’t tell me you’re taking me to the damn Scouting Legion!” he accused.

Eren sent him a stern gaze. “Of course I am,” she said. “You still have a warrant out for your arrest, and I’ll die before letting you get away.”

She turned her gaze back to the road, but she could feel Levi’s annoyed glare burning holes into her skull.

“C’mon,” Eren reasoned, “you also kidnapped me after saving me! Just get used to the sweet, sweet feeling of payback.”

“I didn’t kidnap you,” Levi retorted stubbornly. “I cared for you. I thought I was quite the hospitable host.”

Eren snorted at that. “You mean, the worst host ever?” she asked, speeding up a bit more as the street in front of them was almost empty. “You normally keep all your guests chained?”

“Tch, whatever.” Levi muttered. He seemed to be really offended. “My lawyers will spring me out of there anyway. No way am I gonna let you and your Scouting Legion buddies put me in that filthy jail. It’s just unsanitary.”

Levi scrunched his nose at the thought. Eren didn't try to hide her confident smile.

“We’ll see, Levi.” She remarked and turned on the radio.

The first beats of Ace of spades, one of her favorite songs, blasted out of the subwoofers in an almost earsplitting volume. Eren liked to listen to music loudly, as she usually sang and yelled the lyrics along when she was alone in the car. She tried to carry it off well and turned the volume down, but Levi already had a faint smile on his lips.

“I didn't think you listened to Motörhead.” He surmised, amused. He hadn’t pegged Eren the type to listen to such delinquent music.

“What’s wrong with it?” Eren defended, “You want to listen to swing music from the 20’s, Al Capone?”

Levi slightly shook his head, enjoying the lighthearted teasing from her. He noticed she seemed to be getting more used to his presence.

“I’m not complaining, I actually like it.” he explained. “This song was playing during my first kill believe it or not. Good song.” he said wistfully, thinking back.

 _Good old childhood memories_.

He heard an indignant huff from Eren. “Great, now I can never listen to it again. Thanks.” she drawled as she changed the song.

The next guitar riffs filled the car, and they both lapsed into silence. Eren didn't concentrate on the music. The raspy voice of the singer barely got through her consciousness.

 

_"Knew I had to bite you baby when I first laid eyes on you,_

_That moment turned me on, I can't believe it's true,_

_And I like to watch your body sway, I got no choice, I'm gonna twist your tail,_

_Love me like a reptile, Love me like a reptile_

_I'm gonna sink my fangs in you"_

 

It was only when she heard Levi chuckling darkly beside her that she noticed the content of the song, and she sighed, annoyed. Couldn't they even listen to a damn song without thinking about inappropriate things?

“Pop music it is, then.” Eren muttered and changed to the radio station.

Levi couldn't hold back a grin. “Oi, Eren,” he started, still thinking about that fated day when he stabbed his first victim. „You were really badass just now. How you snuffed that guy’s life—it wasn’t your first kill, was it?”

“W-what?!” Eren sputtered out, her hands clenching around the steering wheel.

“You didn't even hesitate,” Levi explained. “and now you're surprisingly calm for just ending someone’s life. So, I guessed it wasn't your first.”

Eren's mind was running wild with memories of the dying man, of thick red blood, the last gurgling noises, but she was able to push them to the back of her mind. Fortunately she was spared an answer as her phone started to ring loudly.

Eren flipped it open, looked at the display and noticed that the incoming call was from her mother. As much as she liked to talk to her, now was not the right time. Eren pushed the red reject-button and wanted to ignore it, but five seconds later the phone rang again.

She sighed. Eren knew too god damn well that it was her mother she had inherited her determination and stubbornness from, which meant that the older woman wouldn't stop pestering her till Eren gave in and answered the call.

“Hey Mama, ich hab gerade keine Zeit.“ Eren said quickly as she answered it, turning down the volume of the radio. They always spoke German to each other, and now she was especially glad about that. “Ich bin im Dienst, ich ruf nachher—“ _(“Hey mum, I don't have time right now. I'm at work, I'll call you ba—“)_

But she didn't have time to finish her sentence, as her mother already interrupted her speaking. Like always.

“Ja auch dir einen schönen guten Abend, Kind.” Carla chimed in. “Dauert nicht lang, ich wollte dich nur fragen ob du mir am Freitag dein Auto ausborgen kannst. Betty zieht um und braucht etwas Hilfe.” _(“Well also good evening to you, my child. It won't take long, I just wanted to ask if you'd let me borrow your car on Friday. Betty is moving and needs some help.”)_

Eren groaned inwardly. Betty was Thomas' mother, and the old woman had been friends with Carla for some years now. They never made it a secret of their wish to become mother-in-laws someday, and Eren was sure they had talked about what had happened between her and Thomas. If she wouldn't do anything against it, she'd hear a rant of complaints about the rejection from her mother in a matter of seconds. It was an understatement to say that Eren wasn’t looking forward to this eminent talk.

“Ja klar, mach ich, komm dann einfach vorbei. Du Mama, ich muss jetzt echt—“ _(„Yeah sure, I don’t mind, just come then. Listen mum, I really must—“)_

“...Betty sagt, du hättest Schluss gemacht mit Thomas. Spätzchen, stimmt das?” Carla ignored Eren's attempts to end the call. “Und da dachte ich dass du endlich mal einen ordentlichen Mann gefunden hast, und das obwohl du dich immer so unsäglich benimmst.” _(“Betty said you broke up with Thomas. Honey, is that true? And here I thought you finally found a decent man, even if your behavior is so incredible all the time.”)_

Eren rolled her eyes, annoyed enough about the statement that she couldn't just ignore it. “Ich war überhaupt nicht mit Thomas zusammen, der soll mal schön den Ball flachhalten!” she hissed. _(“I never was together with Thomas, he can go and shove it, seriously!”)_

Unconsciously she had stepped on the gas even more, and by now they were driving far above the speed limit. Levi held on the to the “oh shit” bar for dear life.

“Mutsch, bitte, ich ruf dich später zurück, ich hab hier einen Verdächtigen im Wagen.” _(“Mommy, please, I’ll call you back later, I've got a suspect in the car.”)_

“Einen Verdächtigen? Wen?” Carla asked, suspicion rising in voice. _(“A suspect? Who?”)_

Taking a deep breath, Eren tried to come up with an answer that wouldn't lead to more discussions, but honestly, she had no idea how to do that. The pause had lasted for a bit too long, and Carla was already becoming suspicious on the other end of the line. “Oh nein, doch nicht etwa diesen Levi, oder? Eren Yeager, stimmen diese Geschichten aus der Zeitung etwa, muss ich mir jetzt Sorgen machen?” she scolded her daughter. _(“Oh no, it's this Levi, isn't it? Eren Yeager, are the stories from the newspapers true after all? Do I have to worry now?”)_

Great. Now it happened, her mother wouldn't cease from speaking about this topic anymore. Eren was so caught in their talk that she didn't even notice how Levi pricked up his ears at the mention of his name.

“Natürlich nicht! Jetzt hör aber mal auf!” Eren denied exasperatedly. _(“Of course not! Lay off, will you?”)_

“Ich will nicht, dass meine Tocher mir eine Schwiegersohn mit so einem gefährlichen Beruf mit nach Hause bringt!“ Carla continued to get into a fuss. "Da komme ich ja um vor Sorgen!” _(“I don't want my daughter to bring me a son-in-law with such a dangerous job to my home! I'm going to die from the worry!”)_

These words were so entirely untrue that Eren was flabbergasted for a brief moment. “Mama!” she began and clenched the steering wheel. “Erstens ist Mafiaboss kein Beruf, und zweitens werd ich ihn dir ganz sicher nicht als Schwiegersohn mit nach Hause bringen! Ich fahre jetzt erstmal in die Scouting Legion und dann ruf ich dich zurück.” _(“Mum! First of all, being a mafia boss is not a job, and secondly, I sure as hell won't bring him home as your son-in-law! I'll drive to the Scouting Legion now and then I'll call you back.”)_

She gritted her teeth, but because she didn't want end the call while arguing, she added a “Hab dich lieb, Mama.” _(“Love you, Mum.”)_

Quickly she ended the call, before her mother could come up with any other nonsense, but she still was able to hear the quiet “Ich dich auch, Spätzchen.” _(“Love you too, honey.”)_

Eren allowed herself a fond smile. She glanced at Levi from the corner of her eye, only to find him staring at her. Her heart stopped for a second, and Eren prayed to all gods that he was not able to understand German. She would have to throw the car off the next cliff if he knew what they had talked about.

“I knew that your mother was German, but I didn't know that you can speak the language so fluently.“ Levi stated casually.

Apparently he hadn’t understood anything, or else Eren knew he would have had some snide comment about the whole son-in-law crap her mother spouted to her. Eren heaved a silent breath of relief and sank back into her seat, before she realized that Levi had just confirmed that he knew about her mother's origin. Her gaze flickered to him, realizing that he still was watching her. Levi smirked.

“You're not the only one gathering information.” he hummed.

An uncomfortable feeling settled in Eren's stomach and she tried to keep herself from fidgeting around nervously. Just how much did he know by now?

“Were you raised in Germany?” Levi asked casually, also sinking back in his seat. He was acting like they were on a road trip, not on the way to his jail cell.

“No, I was born here.” Eren answered shortly. “My mother is the only one from Germany.”

Levi hummed thoughtfully. “So two different nations, huh. Did your parents meet on vacation then?”

Eren didn't feel the need to tell her life’s story to a criminal, especially Levi. He knew way too many things about her anyway. Pretending to concentrate on only the street, Eren remained silent. Levi snorted at her stubbornness.

“Oh Eren, c'mon,” he cooed. “Whether I get this information from you or my informant doesn’t really matter, does it?”

As Eren pressed her lips to a firm line, he shot her a side glance.

“Well okay, if you don't wanna do the small talk, we can also listen to that nice music again...“

Hell no. Any more of this sexual tension would kill her.

“Fine, fine.” she muttered, defeated. “They met on an exchange program in school. Back in the times of second world war our countries were at enmity, and some of the civilians were still acting hostile to foreigners in these days.” Eren explained and turned onto the next highway, which had more traffic. “So this program was supposed to iron out old prejudices and to bring people closer together. Apparently it worked well, because my parents met and fell in love with each other.”

Eren merged into a long line of cars that chugged along on their way to the inner parts of the city.

“Enemies to lovers, huh?” Levi drawled with a meaningful pause. “ _Interesting_ concept.”

Eren whipped her head around, sending him a livid glare. “They never were real enemies, and that's the point!” she hissed.

“Oi Eren, look at the god damn street!“ Levi exclaimed as they pulled ahead an old VW Polo by a hair's breadth. “I don't wanna die in a car accident after all that shit with fucking Titans today!”

Eren returned her attention to the traffic, dodging the honking car with ease. “Maybe someone other than the titans will take you out ...” she muttered under her breath.

Levi chuckled. “Yeah, you keep saying that, but I think—“ he suddenly cut himself off, looking through the rearview mirror. “Oi, Eren. You came alone, didn't you?”

“Yeah,” she answered, blinking confused at the sudden change of topic. “Why?”

Levi let out a small groan and knitted his brows together. “Well, it looks like someone’s on our tail.”

Eren's gaze shot to the rearview mirror as well and she spotted a dark pick-up truck tailgating them dangerously. The car had been there for a while now, and Eren cursed herself for not noticing the suspicious behavior before. The pick-up truck sped up and got ready to come closer.

“Oh come on!” Eren murmured “Are you fucking serious?!”

“Looks like the Titan can't get enough of us.” Levi said sarcastically, his smug grin gone.

"They can go and fuck themselves.” Eren growled and stepped on the gas.

The engine growled excitedly, and within a few seconds the Mercedes sped up to almost 200 kilometers per hour. Levi was not one to get nervous easily, but car races had never been his thing, and judging by the pace they were driving past other honking cars they were far too fast for regular traffic. Eren, on the other hand, didn't seem to be reluctant to engage in a little race. In fact, her face beamed in a way Levi had never seen before. Eyes glowing, a confident smirk on her lips, she clenched the steering wheel and paid all of her attention to the streets. She looked like she was enjoying running on adrenaline, and Levi couldn't deny that she was driving pretty skillfully. They just hit 230 kilometers per hour and Eren maneuvered the car around a sharp corner. Her eyes lit up at the sound of squealing tires, and Levi wouldn't have been surprised if she'd actually let out a small laugh, similar to the ones Hanji made from time to time while experimenting on something highly devious.

But however good Eren's talent was, it didn't hinder the pick-up behind them to catch up. Levi looked back into the rearview mirror and noticed to his great displeasure that he already was able to recognize their faces. It was no other then Hitch, Bertholdt and another guy in the backseat he couldn't see properly.

“So it's really them. “ He muttered under his breath. “Damn Titan shits.”

They were coming up closer and closer, and Levi actually started to worry that they’d catch up after all.

“Hold on,” Eren commanded, and in the next second she already slammed on the brake, jerked the wheel violently and drifted the car around in a U-turn. Fortunately the street was almost empty at this moment, except for the dark Pick-up behind them that hopelessly tried to imitate their risky turning maneuver. It almost somersaulted, and Eren used the won time to scorch back, away from the crowded streets of her beloved city. She couldn't afford to cause an accident with innocent civilians involved.

Soon enough the Titans came into their field of vision again, and Eren was so concentrated on widening the distance between them that she almost didn't notice another, dark red Audi approaching them from the front.

“Watch it!” Levi called sharply, and in the last moment she was able to swerve to the side and dodge the imminent crash.

Eren let out a shaky breath as she steered her Mercedes further away from the city, out on an almost empty highway. She looked at the speedometer, noticing that they were driving almost 250 kilometers per hour now. There was no way she could drive any faster without running into the next tree. She already didn't know the streets here too well; they were in an area she didn’t recognize. As if that wasn’t enough, both of the Titan cars now tried to ram them, almost succeeding in the process. Eren could see the madness flashing in their eyes in the rearview mirror, and with horror she noted that Hitch had cocked her gun, ready to fire.

“Eren, we have to do something, or we'll be brain mush within the next second!“ Levi shouted beside her, also noticing Hitch’s intentions.

Yeah, great, that much she already knew. Her heart hammered at record speed in her chest, adrenaline rushed through her veins, making it possible for her to entirely focus on the situation. But for once Eren had no clue what to do.

“And what do you suggest?!” she called back and swerved to the side again to dodge the first bullet.

“Give me your gun.” Levi demanded, fixating her with piercing eyes. “I'm gonna kill them!”

“I'm not gonna give you a weapon, you're a criminal!” Eren snapped and applied the brake sharply as they turned around a curve.

“You know I'm not gonna shoot you!” he insisted incredulously. “Just give me the fucking gun and I'll shoot us out of here!”

Eren gritted her teeth. She knew too god damn well that they really had to do something, but handing a lethal weapon to Levi was out of question. She would jump out of the frying pan into the fire if she did so.

“Eren, you're taking too long, decide!” Levi shouted.

The Titans now rammed the bumper of their car for the first time, and Eren had a hard time bringing her Mercedes under control again. She furrowed her brows, thinking hard about what to do next— Until an idea struck her.

Eren fumbled in her pocket to pull out the key for Levi's handcuffs—which was hard considering that they were still racing at record speed—and tossed it towards him.

“You're gonna take over the wheel, and I'm gonna shoot.“ she explained and adjusted the cruise control.

“What—“ Levi began with widened eyes. “But—“

“No buts!” Eren shot him a definite glare as she unbuckled her seat belt. “It's either this or nothing!”

Levi stared at her incredulously, but eventually he accepted that there was no way to convince Eren otherwise. He quickly used the keys to open the cuffs with ease and tossed the handcuffs away.

“Okay, there’s a winding tunnel coming up ahead, and by then I'll slide back into the seat.” Eren said and rolled down the window. “We have about 15 seconds.”

Without further ado, she leaned out of it, sitting on the windowsill and holding on the neck support of her seat. Before the Titans could react to this suicidal act, Eren lifted her gun, took a short aim and fired at the tires.

Levi scooted over, sitting halfway on the driver's seat, and did his best to hold the car steady. Though, it was pretty difficult to do so when he wasn't able to reach either the brake or the gas. Even the slightest curve was a challenge now, especially considering that Levi hadn't driven himself in a car for ages, but they made it safely through the next few moments.

Eren cursed as one of the bullets from the Titans nearly hit her, and decided to shoot directly at the front window now. If these fuckers would threaten her own life and Levi's, she'd do the same with theirs, for crying out loud. A short cracking noise told her that she had hit the goal, and the black Pick up fell back. Which left only one more target. Eren hunched against the side of the car for support, put the finger on the trigger, aimed and then—

The Mercedes made a sharp turn, the unexpected centrifugal force almost throwing Eren out of the window. After a moment of shock she realized that this movement had probably saved her life, remembering the sight of the bullet whizzing past her head as the car turned.

“God fucking dammit, be more careful, Eren!” she heard Levi shout beneath her. “Now come back in again, we're almost at the tunnel!”

Eren threw a look over her shoulder to see that in fact, there were only some seconds left before they'd slip into the darkness of the tunnel, so she wasted no time to climb back into her seat again, immediately taking over the wheel. She breathed heavily from the effort, and a side glance towards Levi told her that he also was slightly out of breath. The bendy road of the tunnel gave them a time advantage, and Eren was able to maneuver them through it flawlessly, while the Titans had to struggle to keep up. Just before they were at the end of the tunnel, the Audi was out of sight for the time once again.

“Eren,” Levi suddenly said. “As soon as we're out of here, turn sharply left, right into the group of trees. There's a small path behind it.”

“What?!” Eren protested. “No way, we'll crash into the trees—“

Levi's head whipped around to her, fixating her with piercing eyes. “Just do it!” he commanded.

The gears in Eren's head turned wildly, mulling over the question if she really should trust Levi with her life. It was obvious that he had no intention of harming her, and they needed an escape plan. But still, was it really enough to take such a risk? This was Levi, after all. The distress must have been clearly visible on her face, because Levi's next words weren't demanding, but soft.

“Trust me, okay?”

And that was all it took. Eren had no idea why, but suddenly everything inside her felt calm, confident even.

Besides, they had no other option anyway.

“Okay.” she said low, preparing to give it her all in the next moment.

Their car slipped out of the pitch blackness into the dim light of sunset, and at Levi's “Now!” Eren spun the wheel again and they hurtled towards a small abyss that was filled with big trees. Every doubt that Eren could have had about Levi's idea was too late now anyway, and so she just stared ahead. The car fell down the edge of the road, not really deep, but they landed in a very precise clear space, hidden by several treetops above. The fall wasn’t as bad as she expected, and to her relief she didn’t flip the car.

For a brief moment she allowed herself to close her eyes and listen to the howling noise of the Titans’ cars passing by on the streets above. Apparently they hadn't noticed that Eren and Levi weren't driving on the road anymore.

She sighed relieved, then let out a small laugh.

“That was close.” Eren said, her voice a little shaky as she came down from her adrenaline high. She leaned her head back and focused on slowing her breathing.

“Are you okay, Levi?”

Silence.

“Levi?” Still no answer came, and Eren turned her head to look at him in a panic. Levi was sunk down in his seat, eyes closed, skin pale. He looked so fragile and exhausted that Eren's heart began to race. “Levi? Fucking shit, Levi!” she called and reached over to shake him vigorously. “Wake the fuck up!”

A slight cough indicated his return to consciousness, and Eren could have kissed him in relief.

“So noisy.” he said slurred, words heavy as if his mouth couldn’t catch up with what he was saying. “Calm down, I'm fine.”

Carefully Levi sat up and brushed some imaginary dust off his clothes, as if it was the most important thing right now. He stretched his sore shoulders and sighed.

“You were worried about me, weren't you.” Levi began with a slight smirk, turning to Eren, who was still staring at him.

“Shut up, of course I was!” she snapped back. “If they found me with your dead body in the middle of nowhere without a good explanation, Erwin would behead me.”

“Of course.” Levi replied, still with that stupid smirk on his face.

They both knew that Eren had been worried for a very different reason, but she wasn’t going to admit it yet. Or ever. At least Levi was conscious again.

“I think we lost them.” she tried to change the topic. “What about your injuries? How do you feel?”

“It's okay.” he said, but Eren could see the effort he put into breathing normally and the single bead of sweat that made a shining trail down the side of his face.

Levi was definitely hiding how much pain he was actually in. Eren sighed and reached for her mobile phone to call Jean or Armin for help, but instead of the smooth cold surface of her flip phone she just felt scratched and splintered plastic. Apparently her phone hadn't survived the fall as good as she had. People always told her not to put it in her back pocket, and this was the result. Eren tried to turn it on again, but it was no use.

“Fucking fantastic.” She murmured, visibly annoyed. “You don't happen to have a cell phone with you, do you?”

“Nope.” Levi replied. “Titans took it after they tied me up.”

“Well, we should get you to a hospital as soon as possible.” Eren continued and went to start the motor again, but the car just let out a strangled stutter before a miserable bang sounded from the engine.

Eren desperately hit the dashboard with her fist. “No no no, Baby!“ she called out. ”Don’t do this to me, you can’t die on me yet! Especially not right now!”

She tried to start the Mercedes again, but it was no use. The engine did not show the slightest intention of working in the near future. Eren cursed, jumped out of the car opened the hood. Levi slowly unbuckled and followed her example, stepping out.

For a brief moment he enjoyed the sight of Eren freaking out and yelling at the inanimate machine, before he approached her.

“You call your car baby?“ he asked with a slight interest.

“You got a problem with that?” Eren shot back, not looking at him.

“Just sayin'.” Levi bit back a remark about her fondness of pet names. “But, can you fix it?” he asked instead.

“To be honest—“ Eren looked up, a puzzled expression on her face. It looked so cute on her, Levi could have tackled her at the very sight. “I haven’t a clue about cars. You?”

He blinked, quickly gathering his thoughts. If he'd keep himself together and act the right way for a few hours, he'd be closer to achieving his goals. Much closer.

“Me neither.” he answered, but still glanced at the engine. “Fucking shit, if Hanji was here she'd repair it in two shakes.”

Eren sighed, blowing her bangs out of her face as she did so.

“What are we supposed to do now?” she asked tiredly as she closed the hood.

“Hm.” Levi briefly looked around, pretending to be thinking. “I know where we are. Not far away from here is one of our hideouts. We could walk there, treat my wounds and I'll call my squad to pick us up.”

“Wait a minute.” Eren said suspiciously. “You're telling me you lead me here so we can go to your cozy little hideout and so you'll be able to escape?”

“You had no other option, did you?” Levi leaned against the car, cocking a brow at her.

He was right; she had no other choice.

“Fucking great.” Eren groaned. “Yeah okay, let's do this. Let's go to a damn mafia hideout and call even more gangsters, it's not like I care anymore.”

It clearly wasn't her lucky day.

Eren sighed, reaching to the back seat to search for her scarf in the pile of clothes occupying her back seat. The wind had become chillier, and the sky was getting darker and darker. Soon enough it would be really damn cold outside. Eren wrapped the black scarf around her neck, slipped her gun into the holster on her belt and locked the car, ready to go.

“Now we can—wait, what are you doing?“ she asked, dumbfounded.

Levi had taken her hand and intertwined their fingers, ready to go down the dark path in front of them. Eren stood frozen to the spot, looking bewildered at him. He clicked his tongue.

“It'll get fucking dark here in the next few minutes,” Levi explained. He was right, the last rays of the sun were slowly disappearing behind the crowns of trees. “And we will lose sight of each other if we run around like shitty chickens with their heads cut off.”

Eren still didn't make any move to go along with him, so he sent her a smirk. “You're not afraid of me escaping into the darkness and leaving you out here alone, are you, Eren?“

That was all it took to make her move. She’d never admit it, but the one of the only fears Eren had was of the dark, though she’d never admit it. Especially to Levi of all people. She'd rather walk hand in hand with him for hours then experience one minute alone in this blackness that had begun to surround them.

They started to make their way through the opaque, confusing forest, but Levi seemed to know exactly where to go. He never even brushed a twig, while Eren was struggling not to stumble and trip like an idiot. It wasn't really helping that strange noises kept reaching her ears, sometimes in front of them, sometimes directly behind them. Eren looked back and forth every time a new rustling or clicking was to be heard, her fingers digging deep into Levi's palms in the process. She could swear she felt his thumb rubbing soothingly over her knuckles every time she did so, but the movement was so slight that she figured she was imagining it.

“Your mother asked you about Thomas.” Levi's voice suddenly tore her out of the whirlwind that was her thoughts.

“Maybe.” Eren neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead she buried her face deeper into the scarf.

“She didn't like that you dumped him?” he continued nonchalantly, but there was genuine curiosity there.

His voice was deep and smooth, and it was strangely comforting for her to just follow it into the darkness. Eren almost opened her mouth to reply, but then thought better of it. As much as she had this weird urge to tell Levi of all people about it, she reminded herself that it was none of his business. She needed to keep her distance.

“He was no good for you anyway.” he suddenly said. “That stiff square didn't suit you at all.”

“I feel like you of all people have no room to talk.” Eren said snidely. She hadn't been able to restrain herself from this remark.

“Just sayin'.” Levi said, and Eren could clearly hear the suppressed amusement in his voice. “You would have been bored out of your mind soon enough with him. You need someone different.”

The last words had sounded more serious, meaningful even, and Eren immediately let out a bitter laugh.

“Oh, really? Then enlighten me, Levi.” she drawled out sarcastically before she could bite her tongue. “What kind of person would be the right one for me?”

“I don't know.” he responded firmly, looking directly at her. “You tell me. Who do you need?”

Eren felt his intense gaze on her face, and as she looked back at him, her breath hitched. Levi's eyes were just so thrilling and yet so soft, it sent down a shiver on her spine. She hoped that it was dark enough by now to hide the pink on her cheeks.

“Well, surprise.” Her voice sounded hoarse, somehow artificial, as she answered after a few seconds. “I don't need anybody at all.”

Eren expected him to object, to brag about how he'd have all the qualities she'd need. But instead Levi just hummed thoughtfully.

“Maybe that's true.” he admitted. “I said the same thing, years ago.” There was a brief silence before he added: “But I guess, now I feel like it would be…nice to have someone at my side.”

Eren was taken aback by this confession for a moment. She hadn’t expected him to be that honest about it, to show her a soft side of him which she didn't even know existed. The atmosphere between them had become intimate by now, be it because of their holding hands or the topic they were talking about. His voice had been so hesitant, so fragile that her heart clenched for a moment, and she suppressed the urge to hug him on the spot. Before anything could happen, though, Levi suddenly stopped. Eren followed his example and sent him a puzzled look.

They stood in front of a very average looking tree, which was apparently significant in some way to Levi.

“We're here.” he announced. “This big ass tree is the first safety gate.”

Eren blinked in confusion as she watched Levi knock four times against the bark, and her astonishment grew as the old wood parted and revealed the control pad of an alarm system. Levi typed in a four-digit code and waited till a faint crack was sounded.

“All right, it's unlocked.” he confirmed and pulled Eren forward. “Just twenty meters ahead and we're there.”

They took a few steps through the more heavily vegetated undergrowth unitl they stood in front of a battered old house. The rendering crumbled from the walls, the windows were barred and the rooftop had surely had seen better days. It looked more like an old abandoned and shabby cabin than an apparent hideout for the great Wings of Freedom. Eren eyed the house skeptically. What if this all was a trap, and Levi had just wanted to lure her into an isolated building?

“Are you going to stand there and stare at it all night?” Levi asked.

Eren tore her eyes from the time-worn windows to see him standing in front of the door, the knob already in his hand.

“N-no.” she hurried to say and also took the few stairs up to the entrance after him. Although she had been able to forget her fear of the dark when they were talking, she didn't want to be abandoned out here. “I just thought... that it doesn't look very inviting.”

“Of course it doesn't.” Levi replied a-matter-of-factly while he slipped a key inside the lock. Eren wondered where he had gotten it all of a sudden. “If anyone happens to pass by this place they better not notice that it belongs to us. They'd get a nasty little surprise if they came in without permission.“ he smirked devilishly, and with a loud squeal the lock finally gave in and Levi opened the door.

They both stepped inside. Eren leaned forward curiously, eager to see what it looked like inside. Instead of an elegant entry hall they stood in a rambled small room in front of an iron door. Levi pushed a button next to the door handle, and out of nowhere a hole opened to reveal a modern looking scanner, so out of place with its surroundings. Levi bent down, held his face in front of the scanner and waited patiently for the laser sensing his eye. A loud click resonated and the door was unlocked.

“Permission granted” a computer voice said cooly.

Levi and Eren walked inside, and before Eren could marvel about the elegant interior of the hall, she was startled by a shrill voice. “Welcome home, sunshine!”

Eren stiffened as she recognized the cheerful voice, which was clearly Hanji’s. Confused, Eren looked around.

“Jesus fucking Christ, she does this in every one of our hideouts.” Levi cursed annoyed. “Four-eyes installs the security system and creates a 'personal greeting' for every one of us.”

He closed the door again and locked it with a code, before he stretched his sore shoulders and let his joints pop.

“So ... sunshine?” Eren asked amused, trying hard not to laugh.

“Don't comment on it.” Levi grumbled with a dark look on his face, making Eren grin even more.

He turned around to go further into the house, and Eren could see fresh blood soaking his shirt on the back. Her grin faltered. Right, they were not on a nice little trip, but were in the middle of escaping with their lives.

“Where do you keep your bandages?” she asked, composing herself.

She needed to patch him up as soon as possible. It was a miracle he hadn't passed out from his injuries by now.

“White cupboard in the living room, left drawer.” Levi informed her, before he opened the door to said room.

Eren stepped in behind him, taking in the luxurious but cozy atmosphere. The walls were painted pearly-white, draped with colorful pictures of landscapes and still life’s. A big anthracite couch was placed at the wall next to the cupboard Levi had mentioned. Connected to the living room was a small open kitchen. The floor was made of light grey marble. The only flaw of this inviting atmosphere was the total lack of any windows, but the bright spotlights in the ceiling compensated for it. Now Eren understood that the barred windows on the outside were just for show.

Cautiously she swept her finger across the cool surface of the kitchen interior and found it spotlessly clean, as expected. A faint smile tugged at her lips, but then the picture of Levi's crimson-soaked back crossed her mind again, and Eren reminded herself of the task at hand. She turned around and wanted to ask him how he was doing now, but found the living room empty. Just like always, moving without a sound. Eren suppressed a shiver. Instead she pulled off her jacket and looked for the first aid kit. She searched in the cupboard and found it exactly where Levi had told her it would be.

“Hey Levi, where are you?” Eren called as she rose to her feet again, the small red case in her hands.

“Bathroom.” came the reply from a room at the other end of the small house.

Without thinking about it, Eren followed the voice. She strode through the living room and turned around the corner, and found herself in another small room with a big cushioned chair and a bookcase of books. However, Eren didn't have an eye for these things, nor for the beautiful painting of a harbor at the wall. There was something much more distracting in front of her.

The door to the bathroom was half open, revealing a rather interesting sight that Eren's eyes were instantly glued to.

Levi was standing in front of a big mirror, hair damp and glistening, examining his wounds cautiously. That alone was not really remarkable, but the fact that he was naked except for tight black boxer shorts was kind of spectacular. His back was still turned towards Eren, and so she was able to enjoy the sight of his muscles stretching and flexing as he bent over to take a good look on the scratch on his shinbone.

What was even more remarkable than this were big artful tattooed wings that spread across Levi's shoulders –the Wings of Freedom. White and dark blue colored, they overlapped each other and took up the space of his entire back. Eren didn't even know about this tattoo, it was nowhere noted in the records. But now that she thought about it, it did fit him really well. So well that it almost distracted her gaze from this incredible chiseled ass that stood out from the tight black shorts.

 _Damn_.

Her mouth watered at this sight.

“Like what you see?” Levi's amused voice cut through her very inappropriate thoughts, and it was only now that Eren found him smirking smugly at her through the mirror.

Desperately fighting a revealing blush, Eren gulped and quickly gathered what was left of her dignity.

“Jeez,” she said, proud that her voice didn't falter. “Can't you put on some clothes at least?”

“Why should I?” Stormy eyes shone mischievously at her. “You obviously enjoy it.”

Never in a million years would Eren admit this out loud, but before she could think of a snappy reply, Levi already pulled a towel from the peg and rubbed his hair dry.

“I just had to take a quick shower.” he explained cooly. “I can't stand this fucking filthiness. Don't know why it seems to be a common thing nowadays to kill people in a shit-hole like that. We don’t do that. It’s inhumane, dammit.”

“You took a shower?” Eren asked incredulously and came into the warm and steaming bathroom.She already felt how her hair curled at the ends due to the steam-filled air. “You were only away for like two minutes!”

Levi turned around and shrugged. “I like to shower quickly. Military-style.”

They were standing in front of each other now, only one step apart. The tension between them crawled under Eren's skin, leaving a burning feeling inside her, and she desperately tried to not stare at this single water drop that dripped down Levi's crook of the neck agonizingly slow, to his ripped chest, down towards his navel—

Eren gulped, painfully aware of Levi's gaze on her.

"Sit down,” she demanded, trying to distract herself. Her voice was hoarse enough to certainly give away her arousal. Fuck. “I'm gonna treat your wounds now.”

Surprisingly enough Levi obeyed without teasing her and sat down on the edge of the bathtub. Though, just to make sure, she added sternly: “One comment about playing doctor or pain in your pants and I'm gonna break your leg.”

A smirk tugged at Levi's lips, but at Eren's menacingly flashing eyes, he tried to keep a straight face.

Eren kneeled down and examined his wounds carefully. Most of them were just flesh wounds, nothing too serious. They looked painful, but not life threatening. With relief Eren noted that she didn't have to stitch him up. Technically she knew how to do that, her father had shown her when she was younger, but fortunately she never had been in a situation where she had to try it herself. Eren applied bandages here and there on his skin or disinfected a wound, but Levi had been thorough with his quick shower.

All the while he was staring at her, fixating every move she made with his piercing grey eyes. Eren tried to carry it off well, but to be honest it was quite difficult to remain cool and unfazed when she was bandaging a cut on his shoulder and accidently brushed his amazingly defined chest muscles, and _hot damn_ was that an eight-pack? Oh, how much she wished to run her fingers down his pale skin and tug at his pants, just a tiny little bit, to see if he was built that well down there, too.

Levi must have noticed her hesitation to proceed, and of course he had to use this chance to try and distract her further.

“Eren,” he purred.

She gritted her teeth, keeping her gaze down as she continued to examine a big bruise on his thigh. His incredibly defined, muscular thigh, to be more precise.

“Eren, come on.” Levi cooed again, his voice velvety.

He gently grabbed a dangling strand of her hair and twirled it around his finger. Now she really had enough. This stupid habit of him touching her hair whenever he pleased got on her nerves anyway. She swatted his hand away, but he grabbed her wrist. This forced Eren to look up and meet his clouded gaze.

“You really have soft hands for a hardworking cop, you know.” Levi said low and began to caress her palm with his thumb.

 _I'll show you how soft they are, bastard,_ Eren thought, infuriated.

Maybe having Levi sitting in front of her almost naked, whispering in that deep velvety voice to her was kind of arousing, but hell if she would let him play around with her. Though suspended, she was the Special Agent here, so she was the one who’d be in control of the situation.

Eren looked him deadly in the eye as she pressed her other hand on the bruise on his leg. _Hard_.

Levi's dark eyes widened immediately, and he gasped in pain.

“Oops,” Eren said sarcastically. “I should be more careful.”

She freed her hand and continued to treat the bruise, and Levi gritted his teeth, still incapacitated from the pain. He didn't interrupt her attempts to doctor him any more.

It didn't last very long until she was almost finished treating the wounds, there was just one small slash wound on his shin bone left. Fortunately it also wasn't too deep, so after bandaging it properly, she lifted his foot and turned it experimentally, to see if it anything was broken. Her fingers brushed against the sole, and Levi let loose a strangled sound.

“Does it hurt?” Eren asked.

She looked up, examining his face while she pressed her thumb on the point once again.

“No.” Levi breathed out, and Eren could see that he was biting his inner cheek.

An idea struck her, and she let her fingers trail gently over the thick skin on his foot. And like she thought, Levi flinched back, barely suppressing a small yelp.

“S-stop that!“ he cursed, clearly restraining himself. “There's nothing wrong with my foot!”

His face was a threatening death mask, but Eren plainly ignored it. She drew a small circle on the ball of his foot and enjoyed his following wince.

“Levi,” a bright grin plastered on her face, “could it be that you're ticklish?”

The fact that this 5 foot 3 short package of badass and sass had a soft spot like this somehow amused Eren greatly. Before Levi could deny his weakness, Eren already trailed her fingers down the sole again, and Levi immediately jerked his foot away.

“We're finished here,” he grumbled and jumped to his feet, grabbing a prepared pile of clothes beneath the sink.

Eren giggled and rose to her feet again. The sound of her laugh rang like music in Levi's ears, and he found himself unable to be angry about being the cause of her amusement. His face softened and he quickly dressed himself in the pitch-black button-up shirt and the tight dark jeans that Petra once had picked out for him, saying he'd looked “damn fine” in them. And the truth of this statement was confirmed when he saw the approving gaze from Eren on his body.

When she noticed she had been caught staring, she quickly cleared her throat.

“S-so,” she turned around to leave the bathroom. “Are you feeling better now?”

Levi decided to let it slip and followed her into the living room.

“Yeah, thanks. Even though I felt you’d fulfill your promise of actually killing me,” he said. “But I'm feeling ok now.”

That was the understatement of the year; if Levi didn't have the training to bottle up his true feelings his entire life, he would be feeling ridiculously giddy right now. The thought of Eren and him spending the next hours in this small house together however was just kind of … _exhilarating._

But he would restrain himself. If the next few hours went smoothly, he maybe even could realize his plans soon, just after Ilse had finished the inquiries.

“I'm going to call my squad now.” he informed Eren as he stepped toward a big cupboard next to the kitchen entrance. “It should be just a few hours before they arrive and we'll be outta here.”

Well, if it was up to him, they'd be staying here for a little longer. Hopefully his people would catch up with the situation and take their time.

Eren watched Levi opening the cupboard in front of him, revealing a big, expensive looking piece of technology. A wide flat screen and numerous keys left Eren wondering if this was just a high tech communication tool or some sort of control system. Levi turned it on and typed some things in, and a minute later he was able to set up a video-chat connection to one of his members.

“Hey Oluo, is everything alright with you guys?” he asked casually as the man with the light brown undercut appeared on the screen.

The faked frown of the man immediately turned into a delightful, sobbing face. Eren stepped right behind Levi to have a better view on what was going on.

“Boss!” Oluo cried out. “Oh my god, guys, c'mere, it's the boss! He’s alive and he’s—with Eren?“ The last words he let out in a surprised gasp.

Rumbling noises were heard from the room Oluo was sitting in, and a few seconds later the man was shoved to the side as Mikasa came into the picture.

“Eren!” she called out, looking at them incredulously.

Eren gave her a small wave, but Mikasa still looked concerned.

“Eren,are you okay?” Her gaze switched to Levi and she glared at him. “Did you do anything to her?”

Levi rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. “No, Mikasa, of course not. And yes, I’m fine. Thanks for asking.“

The siblings glared at each other for a brief moment, and Mikasa sighed.

“Okay, well, what happened?” she asked. “We heard there was an incident at the club, but when we arrived there, you disappeared. We were really worried.”

Other people gathered around the screen, and Eren could recognize Petra and Günther in the background.

“It was a trap from these shithead Titans again.” Levi explained. “They almost killed me.” He was quiet for a second and shot Eren a side glance. “Eren saved my ass.”

A delighted, all too familiar squeal resounded from the speakers, and the next moment Hanji pushed her way through the staring Squad as well.

“Really, she saved you?” the scientist came way too close to the camera and blocked the view of the others. A wide grin tugged at her lips, and the reflection on her glasses somehow gave her an manic look. Eren reflexively took a step backwards.

“My my, what a development!” Hanji hummed pleased. “You want us to pick both of you up there?”

Levi nodded, sending her a serious look. “As fast as possible, _Dr. Zoe_.”

Hanji's grin grew even wider and she nodded as well. Eren couldn’t help but feel that there was some hidden exchange between the two of them that she didn’t catch.

“Understood, _boss_. We'll do our best, but I don't know just how fast we can be there. We should take the longer route, you never know if those pesky Titans are still lurking around after all.“ Hanji adjusted her glasses, giggling. “Just to be safe, of course.”

Eren was watching Levi warily, and she could swear she saw a satisfied smirk crossing his face, but in the next moment he stepped forward and sighed annoyed. “Okay. Just get your ass here, as soon as possible.” he said and ended the call.

Eren rubbed her forehead. Maybe she was too exhausted from their adventure before, so she was just seeing things. That would also explain the fucking headache that’s been pounding in her brain.

“You seem tired.” Levi started, walking over to the couch. “There's a bedroom over there, you can take a nap and I'll wait out here.”

Eren shook her head, hoping the pain would just go away on its own. “It's okay.” she murmured, turning her attention to Levi again. “Do you have any coffee or tea here?”

Maybe a hot drink would help her. Or at least lower her heartrate.

“Tea is over there, I can pour us some—“ Levi made a step towards the kitchen, but Eren blocked his way.

“No,” she objected firmly, already a new pair of handcuffs from the pocket of her jacket in hand. “You’re going to sit down nice and quiet and rest now.”

No way was she gonna let him roam around freely for lord knows how long alone with her. Who knew what stupid shit he would start then.

Levi's eyes lit up and his lips tugged into a smirk, his amusement painfully obvious.

“You're shitting me, right?” he chuckled. “Or is this some sort of role play you're planning here?”

His tone was a suggestive purr, and it went right down into her lower regions.

 _Self-assured bastard_ , she thought angrily.

But Eren would not allow him to take control over this situation. She took a step closer to him, till they were only mere inches apart, and locked his gaze with hers.

“Well, why don't you play along and find out?” she whispered, hovering above him. "Now sit down."

Her voice had been more husky then she had intended it to be, but apparently it worked, because Levi sat down immediately with widened eyes. He stared up at her expectantly, reaching out his arms for the cuffs. Eren quickly bent down and cuffed him, casually walking off when she was finished.

“Oi!” Levi called after her, flabbergasted. “This isn't fair!”

He stared back and forth from the handcuffs to Eren, sending her a look of utter betrayal.

“Blame yourself, you horny old man.” Eren said impassively and went to the kitchen to grab a kettle and boil some water.

“That was a dick move.” Levi muttered under his breath.

Eren snorted at this. “Well, you fell for it, Levi.”

Levi “tched” but watched her prepare the tea, somehow not able to be mad at her. To be honest, he enjoyed spending time with her here way too much to complain. Also, a simple pair of handcuffs wouldn't keep him in place, really. But he would play along for now, as Eren seemed to be far more relaxed in his presence when he was cuffed.

A few minutes later she came back, two steaming cups of tea in her hands, and sat down at the opposite end of the couch. Cautiously she pushed one of the mugs towards Levi on the coffee table, before she made herself comfortable and tucked her legs under her butt.

“Thanks.” Levi said and grabbed his own cup at the rim. Contemplating, he stared down at the dark liquid. He had meant to say it before, and now seemed to be the right time. “I... I mean it. Thank you. For this whole thing.”

He looked up at her, just to find her staring puzzled at him. Levi groaned inwardly. God, why couldn't he be good with words like Hanji was?

“I didn't think you'd speak to me ever again after the last time we met...” he drawled off.

Eren was silent for a few moments, and Levi could almost see the incidents at the strip club flashing through her mind.

“I didn't think Pixis was involved in this kind of business with you.” she said eventually.

The expression on her face was thoughtful, brows knitting together in concentration. She was way too adorable for her own good, Levi decided.

“Almost everyone on this island is involved in this kind of business.” he said uselessly, just to say anything, because he needed to keep the conversation going.

“Yeah, that's the problem.” Eren mumbled, sadly staring down at her tea. “Still, I wonder why he did it. Pixis, I mean.” she took a cautious sip from the hot liquid and looked back at him. “What did he expect to achieve by that?”

Levi didn't flinch. He had seen this question coming.

 _Because he wanted to separate u_ s, he thought as he watched Eren putting down the mug on the table.

 _He didn't want me to be near you_. Slowly, Eren tucked a strain of hair behind her ear and Levi could do nothing but stare at the now exposed little shell.

 _Because he threatened to blackmail me through you._ This thought left a painful throb in his chest. Levi cleared his throat instead.

“No idea.” he said with a straight face, hoping to distract her from this topic. “Maybe he's just a piece of shit.”

Eren eyed him, drown in her own thoughts.

“Why do you do it?” she asked all of sudden.

“Do what?” Levi replied, a bit taken aback.

“Why do you commit crimes?” Eren reformulated the question and straightened up. This thought had occupied her mind for a while, and now she finally found the courage to ask him. She didn't really think she'd get a legit answer, but maybe she'd somehow learn about Levi's dark past. Maybe it'd also teach her how to handle her own inner demons as well.

Levi tilted his head and stared at her, and Eren felt the urge to explain further.

“I always thought criminals were supposed to be heartless beasts. But—“ she quickly bit her tongue. She almost told him that he had a way more appealing personality than she had first thought. No, better play it safe and talk about other people instead. “But after I met Mikasa and Hanji, I don't know anymore. They have decent personalities, they are nice and friendly and smart.” Eren continued. “I just don't get why somebody would decide to go deviant, when they could do so much better with an actual, legal career.”

Levi's face was blank as ever, just a little twitch of his eyebrow told Eren that he somehow seemed irked by her words.

“Well, first of all, we didn't _decide_ to become deviant.“ he began icily. “It's not like we woke up one morning, thinking 'Hey, let's kill a man because that sounds like fucking fun!'. The circumstances are forcing us to do so.”

Eren clung to her opinion. “But…it’s not right.”

“No it isn't.” Levi said quietly. “But you know what else isn't right? Families that don't have enough money to eat. Children who are forced to steal to survive on the filthy streets. That some people are thought to be more worthy than the others, and that the strong are killing the weak, that people are murdered because of their skin color or sexuality or god knows what shitty labels they decide to put on us.“ His glare hardened as he spat out these words. “You were not forced to walk this path, so merry fucking Christmas to you, but don't look down on people who didn’t have any other choice, Eren.”

Levi fixated his gaze on Eren again, and he could see an angry glint shining up in her eyes at his explanation. Okay, maybe he had overdone it a bit with the little accusation at the end. But this topic was important to him, and therefore he would speak his mind.

“Also, I don't see a problem with committing crimes as long as I think it's for a good cause.” Levi added, cocking a challenging brow at her.

“A good cause?” Eren repeated bewildered. “Levi, there are rumors that your organization is involved with human trafficking! How in the ever living hell is that disgusting business for a good cause?!”

He could see how Eren was struggling to keep her voice low. Her anger had seemed to have returned, but Levi wasn’t gonna dwell on her beauty right now with that last comment.

“Human trafficking?” He let out an unamused laugh. “Oh, that's a good one. Clever. Who told you that shit, Frontex?”

Levi eyed her intensely. “Listen, we don’t do trafficking, all we do is to help refugees escape war and poverty that’s happening in their countries, and brought them here where it’s safe, provided them with a passport and a job. And yes, maybe one or another sent us a gift basket with food for this later, but I doubt that this had been a good enough transaction for me to call it ‘human trafficking’.”

Eren eyed him skeptically, obviously still not convinced.

“What about the weapons dealing?” she asked further. “You’re supporting the wars that are compelling these refugees to flee.”

Levi shook his head. “I support people who fight for freedom.” he replied. “You remember those rebels from the harbor? They're fighting against a tyrant in their home country. All they want is basic human rights and education for their people.”

He took a deep gulp of the black tea and appreciated the bitter yet aromatic taste on his tongue, before he spoke again. “And while we're at it, who is the biggest supplier of weapons in times of war? Our fucking government, Eren. They might sell the military operations and supplies as humanitarian aid to the people, but the truth is that they can wipe their asses with the money they earn from us.“

Levi put down the mug on the table and looked up at her, before he added slowly, “The question is, Eren, which one of us is working for the bad guys?“

She stared at Levi's face, trying to see if he was telling the truth. But the seriousness that had overcome his voice indicated yes. Still, he couldn't be implying that she, the defender of the law, was in the wrong, could he? A thought crossed her mind.

“For such a self-righteous guy you seem to get a shit ton of money out of it!“ Eren accused, lucky that it pulled her out of the confusion at least for a bit. “Don't try to manipulate me with your twisted criminal crap!”

“I never said all of my crimes were for a good cause. I admit it, sometimes I just wanna earn money for my friends and I, like most people do." Levi leaned back and shrugged, unimpressed. "And also, I’m not trying to manipulate you. I'm just stating that this world is neither black nor white. There are shades of grey in between, and sometimes you don't see the true intensions of people by the first look.”

The tension from before had cleared, and Eren leaned back a bit as well. She could suddenly feel the tiredness creeping through her limbs.

“This is bull—ah—bullshit ...“ she ground out in a yawn and rested her head on the backrest of the couch, using her arms as a pillow.

“And you are tired.” Levi said sternly. “Lay down and get some sleep, I'll stay awake till my squad comes.”

Eren glanced at him tiredly. “No.” she said stubbornly, out of habit. “I'm not gonna sleep while you stay awake. I'm a professional, I don't need sleep.”

Her eyelids became heavy, and as much as she fought against it, they slowly fell down.

“You're a fucking brat sometimes.”

Levi's soft snort and affectionate words were the last things Eren heard before she drifted off.

 

\---

 

Eren felt light and relaxed as she floated between dreaming and awakening. A comfortable warmth surrounded her, and the soothing hand that gently stroked her hair made her almost purr. She nuzzled against the welcoming warm skin underneath her and enjoyed the scent of it. Her nap had been a good one, with pleasant dreams, and now she slowly felt ready to wake up.

Eren stretched lazily, eyes still closed, sprawling out her limbs like a lazy cat.

Levi watched Eren's awakening in amusement. She laid on top of him, head resting on his chest, arms wrapped around his torso. She had been asleep for almost two hours like this now, and Levi had used the time to massage her scalp, hoping that her obvious headache would go away.

He hadn't even needed a minute to free one hand from the cuffs after Eren had drifted off, so his other hand rested lazily on her lower back, also free, and it really needed all of his self-restrain to not let it wander down further. Especially the way she now stretched and rubbed against his body, even moaning a bit in the process. It was so very tempting that he had to stop her right then, otherwise all of his blood would rush to the lower parts of his body, and he was sure Eren would not approve the outcome.

“Whoa, slow down sweetheart, you don't want me to get too excited, do you?” he murmured into her ear.

Eren slowly lifted her head, and the sleepy yet confused look she sent him made his heart skip a beat. How much he wished to see this cute face of her every morning in his bed. Well, if his plans would work already—

She actually squealed as she jumped back, and her eyes widened in shock.

“So you are a cuddler, huh?” Levi asked casually as he sat up.

Eren let out a defensive growl. “What the fuck did you do?”

“Me?” he chuckled, sending her the most innocent look he could muster. “ _You_ were the one who attacked me in your sleep.”

Eren's face grew more shocked, and Levi had a hard time containing a laugh.

“You totally snuggled me against my will.” he managed to jibe with a straight face.

“Against your ...” Eren murmured, utterly confused now.

“I tried to free myself, but I was just helpless against the strong _merciless_ grip of Special Agent Yeager—“

Eren's gaze was just too comical, he could see the gears moving in her head, desperately trying to come fully awake. She stared at his hands. “Where—where are your handcuffs?”

“Hm?” Levi stood up and pretended to be oblivious. “I don't know what you mean.”

Eren didn't give up that fast and jumped on her feet as well. “How the fuck did you do that?” she demanded angrily.

“Eren, maybe you should pull yourself together before my squad arrives.” Levi simply ignored her furious glare as he turned around to her. “Some would cause rumors if my squad found you in a state like this, don't you think?” he purred.

Bewildered, Eren let her gaze wander to the mirror across the room, taking in her messy hair, the flushed cheeks and askew clothes. Quickly she did her best to rearrange them.

“What time is it?” she asked as she tried to comb the tousled hair with her fingers.

The effort was meaningless; it was even messier then before, and Levi branded this image into the back of his mind. Too adorable.

“It's about 4 am.” he answered and put the empty mugs away. “I think they should come soon.”

Eren still was too hazy to decide what to do next, standing lost and confused in the room, as a loud beep resonated through the small house.

“Ah, there they are.” Levi acknowledged. “That’s the signal when the first safety guard is unlocked.“

Eren threw a last look into the mirror, making sure she didn't look like she just had fallen out of bed, when a loud bump was to be heard from the frontdoor.

“Time's up!" Hanji shouted loudly from the entry hall. “Everybody put their clothes on, we're coming in now!”

Levi rubbed a palm over his face and groaned annoyed. “I'm not ready for this shit right now.“ he murmured, but in this second the door to the living room flung open.

Hanji was the first one to burst into the room, followed by Mikasa, Petra, Eld, Oluo and Günther.

“Leviii~!” the scientist sang and jumped him on the spot.

Levi made a muffled noise of pure discomfort, but the rest of his squad buried him in a huge group hug nevertheless.

Only Mikasa stepped to Eren first, catching her faint smile at the pile of bodies in the middle of the living room.

“Eren!” she said, trying to hide a sniffle, and hugged her. “I'm so glad you're alright.”

“Thanks, Mikasa.” Eren said and hugged her back. Somehow she was really happy to see her again.

“And thank you for saving my brother.” Mikasa whispered to Eren, before she detached herself from the embrace.

Mikasa clearly wanted to say more, but was stopped by her imminent sneeze. Eren handed her a fresh napkin and noticed the red nose of the gangster woman, contrasting to her paler than usual skin color. She was just about to ask if Mikasa felt alright, as she spotted Hanji in the corner of her eyes.

The scientist stared at Eren, bouncing up and down and fidgeting nervously with her fingers.

Eren sighed, turned to her and nodded.

“Come here.” she said in a defeated tone and opened her arms.

Hanji didn't need to be told twice, as she lunged forward and hugged Eren so tightly that she lost her breath for a second.

“Oh Eren, oh Eren!” Hange squealed and squeezed her hard. “I missed you so much!”

“I missed you too.” the agent murmured and tightened her arms around Hanji as well.

Their reunion would have lasted longer, if a polite cough beside her hadn’t startled Eren enough to look up and detach herself from Hanji.

Levi's squad stood in front of her and bowed down.

“Thank you for saving the boss.” Petra said seriously. “We're deeply in your debt now. If you ever need something from us, just call.”

“Um ...” Eren trailed off, visibly uncomfortable. Having a bunch of extremely dangerous criminals bowing to her and offering help was one of the strangest things she'd ever experienced.

“Okay kiddos, that was fun and all.” Levi appeared beside Eren and clapped his hands. “Now let's head back home, I bet we all have a good shit to take after all of this.”

Eren stared disbelievingly at him, but Hanji just snickered.

“Ah, it's good to have you back, Sunshine.” she grinned.

Levi scoffed at her. “Yeah, we have to talk about this whole sunshine thing later, Four-eyes.”

Hanji's snickering increased even more and she patted him on the shoulder as they both got ready to go outside. Eren also slipped on her jacket and was about to wrap the scarf around her neck, as Mikasa let out a loud sneeze behind her again.

“Mikasa, are you ok? Did you catch a cold?” Eren asked, turning around.

“I'm fine, really.” the woman tried to reassure her. Despite her words, Eren could see her shivering under the thin coat. “Maybe it's just dusty here.”

Eren didn't fall for the cheap excuse, and blocked her way instead.

“Here, at least take this.” She said and wrapped her own scarf around Mikasa's neck. “I still have your clothes, so you can keep this. It's a trade.”

Mikasa looked pleasantly surprised, her cheeks finally regaining some color, and she smiled, obviously moved by the gesture.

“Thank you, Eren.” she said and buried her face happily into the scarf.

They stepped outside and were met with the sight of a big silver Van. Eren had no idea how they had managed to maneuver this monster of a vehicle through the woods, but at the sight she was reminded of her own car.

“Hey, um, Hanji?“ she asked cautiously. “Could I ask you for a favor?”

“Sure, honey.” the scientist replied energetically and flashed her a big smile. “Go ahead.”

“My car got destroyed during the pursuit.” Eren explained. “Could you, I dunno, take care of my baby?”

Hanji looked confused from Eren to Levi.

“Baby…?” she repeated, surprised.

Levi rolled his eyes and let out an annoyed sigh. “The _car_ , Hanji.”

“Oh right, right, _that_ baby!” the scientist laughed and rolled up her sleeves. “Of course I can!”

She reached out her hand for Eren to hand her the keys while Levi described the exact location of the Mercedes. She nodded eagerly, already bouncing on her feet again, and after Levi had finished his explanation she casually ordered Eld to accompany her.

The man kept a straight face, but let out a deep sigh as he stepped next to Hanji.

“Alright let's go, Eld.” she called cheerfully. “And on the way, let me tell you about how the first time I dissected a car and when I wanted to assemble it again, there suddenly was this huge explosion and I—“

They both disappeared into the woods and were out of sight quickly, just Hanji's shrill blabbering slowly fading could be heard in the distance.

“Tch.” Oluo said as he slipped into the driver's seat. “Poor bastard.”

The rest of the group began to get into the van as well. The inside of the car looked bigger and more comfortable as compared to the outside, and to Eren's surprise they all fit in perfectly.

She slipped into the seat next to the window beside Mikasa, while Levi and Günther sat down on the opposite, and Petra joined Oluo in the driver's cab. Soon the car began to move, and all of them visibly relaxed. Petra turned around to speak to her boss.

“Hey Levi, are you gonna tell us what happened at the club?” she asked with a gentle smile.

Levi took a sip from the offered bottle of water from Günther, leaned back and began to describe the situation in his deep low voice, starting at the point where the Titans had tricked him, how Eren had saved and helped him, and how they had been chased on the streets once more. The others listened in awe, gasping or cursing from time to time. Eren smiled a little as she watched how engrossed they were in the whole story. It reminded her of a mother telling bedtime stories to her kids. The comparison might have been ridicilous, but it was all Eren could think of as she felt the tiredness from before coming over her again.

The inside of the car had filled with the warm air from the heater, and the soft rumbling made her mind become dizzy and absent once again. Tiredly, she leaned her head on Mikasa's shoulder and fought against the urge to close her eyes again. But Levi's smooth velvety voice was making it hard for her to stay awake; it lulled her into pure relaxation, and she felt her limbs becoming delightfully heavily. Mikasa beside her smiled gently and squeezed Eren's hand slightly.

“Are you tired?” Mikasa whispered to her.

“'s fine, just a bit.” Eren murmured back. “I haven’t gotten much sleep the last few days.”

Levi had finished his story by then, and Günther, Oluo and Petra began to chatter excitedly about what happened and how to pay back the Titans for this unforgivable act.

“I told you before, you shouldn't push yourself too hard, Eren.” Mikasa scolded gently and leaned her head on top of Eren's as well. “Erwin suspended you for a reason. You should rest a bit.”

“How can I rest while the world is still— Wait, you know about that?” the agent asked, surprised.

“Of course we know.” Mikasa chuckled softly. “Although Hanji and I are not in the Scouting Legion anymore, it's not very hard to get that information.”

Eren grumbled at this, but didn't actually say anything. Out of the corner of her eye she could see that Levi had made himself comfortable in his seat as well and watched them.

“Sometimes I really miss working at the Scouting Legion.” Mikasa suddenly said, and a longing tone slipped into her voice. “Though I don't like this system there, I still liked the people. Sasha and Connie and Jean—they were nice. It felt good being there with them. It felt so normal.” She made a thoughtful pause before she added. “But, may I say, I'm proud of you for punching that idiot Dok. He deserved no better.”

Eren giggled lightheartedly. “Ha, if I'll tell Jean that you said he was nice, he will be stuttering and blushing for the rest of the week.”

“Oh please don't.” Mikasa said amused. “He’ll make a complete fool of himself. Remember that time I asked him to help me with the records and he became so excited that he tripped over the wires of the computer and spilled coffee all over himself and that poor mail lady?“

Eren snorted at the memory and looked up to let her gaze wander around. Günther was still engaged in a heated discussion with Oluo and Petra, and Levi lazily typed on his mobile phone. While Eren was watching him, she could see how his lips pressed together and his eyes widened slightly. They were just tiny movements, barely visible at all, but somehow Eren had gotten to master reading Levi’s quirks. As if he could feel her gaze on him, Levi glanced up and met Eren's eyes.

His eyes didn't contain the usual indifference or the rare playfulness, instead they presented her with a dark, even calculating stare that alarmed Eren deeply. One second later his face cleared, expression as blank and stoic as ever, but Eren was not able to forget the previous flash in his eyes.

It had been the look of a predator, ready to snatch his prey.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kidnapping, action and dark secrets. You'll get it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY I'M ABLE TO UPDATE . I could begin every chapter now with an excuse for why it took me so long. Exams, busy lifes for me and my beta, writing blocks...  
> But you should know me by now, I'm a fucking writing-snail, so I'll just stop the excuses and hope you'll forgive me anyway. 
> 
> This chapter was surprisingly difficult to write. I had a clear image in my head on how it should turn out, but after I read what I've written I was completely unsatisfied. It was just too dark and violent, and I had the feeling it wouldn't fit in the story anymore (this fic was supposed to be fluffy at the beginning, I don't know what happened ... ), especially after some of you expressed their wish for more trust between Eren and Levi. So I rewrote it again and again, and now I have 4 different versions of this chapter, but I think I'm halfway satisfied now. I was a bit anxious about it, but the sneak peek I published this month seemed to please the ones who read it (a big-ass thank you to all of you who let me know what you thought about it - it really reassured me!)  
> Okay, enough with the rambling, I'll shut up now. I hope you'll all be satisfied with this chapter and find it fitting. 
> 
> Oh, and another thing: prepare for feels.

For the next few days, Eren was as restless as ever. She kept thinking back to that night at Levi’s hideout, and confusing herself more and more. She didn’t know what to believe anymore. Levi was a criminal, her enemy, and yet she couldn’t help but think of him in a … different way. A highly inappropriate way.

The image of his amazing body, his smooth voice that made her senses freeze up, and those sharp eye that softened only when he was looking at her. There was no more denying it; Eren was in love with a criminal she was supposed to be hunting. But who was really the one being hunted here? Eren even caught herself wondering what their relationship would be like if they had met under different circumstances. Would they have grown closer, and maybe even have become lovers, if Levi hadn’t been a notorious and dangerous gangster?

Eren shook her head of these useless thoughts. The idea of her and Levi being a couple was not only ridiculous, but also extremely dangerous. It threatened not only her morals, but her career in equal measures.

Which led to the next problem. She had nine days left on suspension, and after that she was supposed to go back to hunting down Levi like nothing happened and put him in jail. Sooner or later she would catch him, and then she’d have to testify against him. But would she be able to do it? Even at the beginning of her suspension, she had already began to question herself if she’d really be able to do it. Would her feelings get in the way? For a brief moment Eren imagined Levi sitting behind a glass wall in a jail, dressed in the orange garb that all prisoners wore, and herself visiting him, talking to him through a phone about her bleak future.

She snorted softly. What a ridiculous thought. The die was cast, Levi and her were never to be together in the first place, so she had to stop daydreaming about him as if she had even an inkling of a chance of it working out. She wasn’t some lovesick school girl, right?

Right?

 

\---

 

Two days later her car found its way back to her. It suddenly stood in her driveway, as if it had never been away. It was in pristine condition and had obviously been cleaned thoroughly, a scent of lemons hanging in the air of the vehicle. Her clothes that she left in the back seat for undercover missions were folded neatly and placed right where she left them. On top of the stack was a new evening dress, one that Eren was positive she didn’t own before.

It was made of a beautiful black silk, flowing in a waterfall neckline decorated with gold and silver ornaments. A single red rose topped the pile of clothes off, the contrast of the red and black pleasing to the eye but Eren would have none of that. She rolled her eyes at the flower, but after quickly looking around if anyone was nearby, gently picked the rose up and held it to her nose, inhaling the sweet fragrance softly. Instead of throwing it away, Eren found herself storing it away in the glovebox.

 

 

Thursday morning rolled around, and Eren had had enough of waiting around and twiddling her thumbs. She drove to the gym of the Scouting Legion Department in her sweet-smelling car, determined to kill her time with a productive workout.

At midday, when she was about to beat the crap out of the punching bag hanging before her, the door to the gym swung open and Jean joined her.

“Hey Yeager,” he greeted nonchalantly as he swung his towel over his shoulder. “You really don’t know the meaning of holiday, do you?”

Eren stuck out her tongue at him and they began to train together in silence, subtly trying to outdo each other constantly. As usual, Jean wasn’t able to keep his mouth shit for long, so after some half-assed bickering on his side, he began to talk about the case with her during an especially long run on the treadmills. He had apparently been able to find some info about the hierarchal structure of the Wings of Freedom, as well as some future projects the mafia had in mind. Jean told her that he wanted to wait for her to come back before he took action.

“I can’t just snatch away your hot date with your favorite mafia leader now can I?” he teased, and even though she snapped back at his remark, she was moved by the gesture as a whole.

Other agents might have taken her absence as an opportunity to scratch their way to the top and catch a high-profile criminal like Levi, but Jean didn’t want the credit of all the work Eren had put in.

“Anyway, I’m not sure I’d be able to catch Levi now,” Jean panted as he kicked a punching bag. “I hate to admit it, but I think you’re more capable of this.”

Eren remained silent this time, thinking the opposite.

 

When she was drenched in sweat and had a comfortable ache in her muscles, Eren decided to call it a day and headed home. Her mother was to visit her the next day, and she needed to make sure her apartment was clean and tidy. Carla had always been strict, so if she saw the state her apartment was in now, she’d have Eren’s head. Eren may be a successful young woman with a kickass job, but her mother was not a force even she would reckon with.

After coming home and taking a quick shower, Eren reluctantly began her cleaning. A glance into the fridge told her she needed groceries if she wanted something close to an actual dinner tonight. Sighing, Eren grabbed her keys and left the apartment. Doing things around the house was not really her favorite thing to do, and she usually avoided it as long as she could. But with more time than she wanted on her hands, she really couldn’t put these things off.

With quick steps Eren crossed the lot to her car, the sun setting and turning the street in front of her a surreal color. She was halfway to her Mercedes when she heard her name being called.

She turned around to locate the person who addressed her, and spotted a figure in the shadows of a gap between her apartment building and the one next to it. Even in the dim light Eren could recognize Petra with her strawberry blond hair. She was dressed in a crisp black suit, a big pair of sunglasses hiding her eyes, making Eren struggle to see her expression.

“What are you doing here?” Eren asked suspiciously.

Petra didn’t bother taking off the sunglasses, and Eren got the feeling she was trying to intimidate her.

“Levi sent me,” Petra answered, stating the obvious. “He wants to see you.”

Eren crossed her arms firmly. “I’m busy. If he wants to speak to me so badly, he’s always welcome at the Scouting Legion Headquarters.” Eren quipped, a smirk pulling at her lips.

As expected, Petra didn’t give up that easily. “I’m afraid I will have to insist on you coming with me. Levi won’t take no for an answer.”

Eren snorted. “Then tell him to go fuck himself. As if I’m gonna come running at his every back and call. I’m not some puppy.”

She was about to turn away and continue on her way to her car, but she was suddenly yanked back, an arm firmly around her waist. She tried to scream, but a hand came around and muffled it. She knew Petra wasn’t this strong; there had to be someone else with her. Eren cursed herself for not noticing them, and she strained to look around at her attackers’ faces, but Eren had never seen them before. While she was kicking around, a black car with equally black tinted windows pulled up in front of the scuffle, and in the blink of an eye the car door to the back seat was opened and she was shoved inside.

Before Eren could turn around, Petra already had a grip on her arms and roughly tied her hands behind her back with zip ties. Eren groaned angrily at the rough treatment, her ribs aching from the iron grip of the man that grabbed her and she soon realized that there was no way she could free herself now. All she could do was wait and see what the hell Levi wanted, and prepare to escape when she got the chance.

They drove for what felt like hours; Eren wondered if they were actually headed somewhere far out of town, or if it was just a tactic to confuse her so she’d have no inkling of where she was being taken. At some point the car came to a halt, and Eren was pulled out of the car not-so-gently. She took the chance to get a good look at her kidnappers; of course she recognized Petra, but the two other men were rather young looking, one with an edged, somehow constipated looking face and scrubby brown hair, and the other with long, sharp features with dark, spiked hair.

“Daz, Nac, you know what to do.” Petra nodded at them.

Both of them eagerly bowed at her before taking Eren, one holding one of her arms with her in between them to make her escape impossible, Petra leading the way, and headed towards what looked to be the entrance to a fancy villa. She inwardly groaned when she noticed the complex was surrounded by tall, brick walls with barbwire strung on top of them. Great.

“Where the hell are we?” Eren asked sharply, her glare growing deeper as neither of her captors bothered to reply. She felt her anger boiling up again. “Oi Petra, what about ‘helping me whenever I’d need it?!’” Eren spat out hatefully, her piercing glare pointed directly at the woman’s back.

She hated to admit it, but she felt betrayed. Petra took off her sunglasses, and to Eren’s surprise she could see a glimmer of pity in her gold eyes.

“I’m sorry Eren.” The woman replied quietly, her sudden apology alarming Eren deeply.

Petra turned her attention back to Daz and Nac. “Remember to be careful. She is very dangerous and combative. Do not, under any circumstances, underestimate her.” She explained unfazed, as if the apology from before never happened. “If you do your job well, Levi will be sure to reward you.”

“Yes ma’am!” the men croaked in unison, and Eren found herself being pulled to the left towards a smaller side building of the villa while Petra entered through the main entrance.

“Fucking shit, leave me alone—“ Eren struggled against the grasps on her biceps, but the zip ties binding her wrists together made it impossible to free herself. “Levi you bastard, I know you’re here somewhere watching this shit!” she bellowed as they headed down a gravel path. “Put an end to this bullshit or I swear I’ll fucking slice you!”

Terrified, Daz muffled her mouth with his hand to quiet her down.

“Jesus, it’s true, you’re really loud,” he muttered. “You better hope the boss didn’t hear you, you can’t just insult him like that.”

Eren glared at him as he removed his hand, but was prevented from snapping back at him when Nac released his grip on her for a moment to gag her from behind. They continued moving until they arrived at the back door of the side building, and Eren was pushed down several hallways before they reached a heavy iron door. Without a word, Daz opened it and shoved her into the room beyond following close behind her, and forced to sit in the corner of the room. Eren reluctantly complied and took a look around, taking in the plain appearance of a simple office, much like the ones you’d find at the Scouting Legion. Although here there were no windows, and Eren didn’t know of any intimidating iron doors in the building of her workplace.

Her kidnappers left the room shortly, closing and locking the door behind them with an audible click.

Eren stood up slowly, her muscles aching from being cooped up in that car for so long without being allowed to move, but thankfully they didn’t bind her feet as well, so she took to pacing the small area quietly. Eren had no idea why Levi would pull something like this now, especially after their little escapade and that night spent in his hideout. Somehow that whole situation left her with the feeling that she would be able to actually _trust_ the man, especially after their spectacular teamwork escaping the titans. But of course he had to ruin it all with something utterly criminal, like taking away her freedom.Disappointed, Eren shook her head. She didn’t really know how to put it into words, but she felt tired from whatever it was that was going on between them. Deep inside she knew it couldn’t go on like this forever; she needed to clear her mind and come to terms with what she was feeling for Levi eventually.

But now was not the time to dwell on these annoying thoughts, she needed to act and get out of here as soon as possible. Maybe she could take Levi by surprise and confront him about all of this bullshit. Eren searched for anything that could help her cut the zip ties still around her wrists, but found nothing after several minutes, until a sharp nail sticking out of the wall opposite of her caught her eye. It was low enough that she could back up to it, and after another several minutes of aggressive rubbing on the plastic ties, she finally managed to snag the tip of the nail on them and snap them off, her wrists sore and red from the vigorous tugging.

Immediately she tore the disgusting gag out of her mouth and took a deep breath, clearing her head a bit.

The first step was over with, and now she only needed to get through the door and blow this joint. Frantically, she searched the drawers of the little desk in the room for something that could possibly help her break the lock. She happened upon an expired credit card, and for lack of anything better, made her way to the heavy door, grabbing a heavy champagne bottle for protection, since the door was sure to be guarded when she got it open.

Just as she thought when she neared the door, she could hear the hushed whispers of her captors from earlier, Daz and Nac.

“Guarding that agent all fucking day has been boring as hell,” said one.

“Don’t be stupid, Daz. It’s a great honor that the boss gave us this job in the first place. He’s putting his trust in us you know.” The other voice, presumably Nac, answered. “You heard Miss Ral, if we do a good job, we’ll be rewarded. A promotion might be in our near futures.”

Eren heard Daz scoff. “Even so, guarding a young chick like her as if she was a dangerous murderer or something feels kinda ridiculous.”

Eren silently put the card between the space of the door and the wall to undo the lock.

She heard Daz speak up again.

“Hey, do you think the rumors are true?”

“Hm?” Nac replied with a tired yawn.

“The rumor. You know, that the boss is in love with Yeager.”

Eren froze in her campaign against the door, trembling slightly, but she shook her head and continued her work, cautiously bending the card slightly until she found that magic spot that would get her out of here. She heard a small click, and she smirked to herself in victory.

The men behind the door continued their conversation, none the wiser.

“Jeeze, you should know by now not to ask those kinds of questions.” Nac scolded. “The boss’s love life is none of our business.”

“I think it’d be kinda funny, a mafia boss and the agent investigating him. Hey, do you think they already fucked—“

He didn’t get to finish his crue remark, as Eren slammed open the door into them, sending them flying forwards.

“What the—“ Nac tried, but Eren cut him off with the champagne bottle to his head.

The man went down like a lifeless doll, eyes and mouth frozen in surprise. Daz had gathered himself and tried lunging towards Eren to grab her, but she was faster. She grabbed his arm and used his momentum against him, throwing him over her shoulder and to the ground behind her.

“There's a reason they gave the task of hunting Levi to _me_ , you insensitive bastard.” She hissed as she kicked him in the gut. “And I’m certainly not just a young chick.”

She kicked him again, hard, silencing him as he fell into unconsciousness.

Only slightly satisfied, Eren took his gun from the holster on his belt and stowed it away in the waistband of her jeans on her back and set out cautiously. She snuck down the hallways, trying to find her way back, but the labyrinthine building made it hard to navigate. As she was running, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was being watched. So far she hadn’t run into any gangsters, only the two she took down at her door. Where was everyone?

A feeling of foreboding overtook her; something was definitely off. Why would Levi lock her up in an almost abandoned part of the compound with next to no one to guard her? Distracted by her thoughts, she almost missed the sight of the exit door in front of her as she got closer. Suppressing a triumphant squeal (she was a _professional_ after all), Eren picked up her pace and closed the space between her and her exit swiftly, but as she was about to grab the handle, someone opened the door.

A mountain of a man squeezed himself through the door, and Eren despite herself let out a surprised yelp. For a brief moment they only stared at each other, before she jumped back and pointed her gun at him. She aimed at his legs and squeezed the trigger, but to her horror nothing happened.

“What the fuck?!” She bellowed, shocked by the fact that Daz had an unloaded gun on his person.

But there was no time to dwell on it, as the man was already lunging at her. Without even thinking Eren did the only thing that made sense at that point; punting him hard over the head with the butt of the pistol. The man groaned and stumbled backwards, weakly clutching at the forming bump on his head. Eren didn’t waste any time, ramming her knee into his stomach, causing him to flop to the ground like a ragdoll.

“Hey, what’s going on in there?” A raspy voice came from the other side of the door, and realizing she had no other chance, Eren spun around and sprinted down the hallway she just came from.

“Oi, stop!” the voice screamed. “Guys, come over here, Yeager’s escaping!”

Her heart racing, Eren sped up and raced around a corner. She could hear hurried footsteps and yelled orders behind her, but she didn’t dare glance back. There was no time to lose, so she ran like her life depended on it.

Eren racked her brain on how to get out of this situation as she ran, the gangsters hot on her heels. Part of her still wondered what the hell was going on, why she was here in the first place, but her first priority was getting away and hiding. Though Eren knew she was fit and in shape, even she was starting to tire; she had been running for a while. She knew she had no chance of fighting a large group of criminals without any sort of weapon, so her fight or flight instincts were telling her to flee the fuck out of there.

Coming across a half-open door, she slipped inside and shut it quietly behind her, praying silently that her pursuers would simply run past it. Someone must have been listening, because the idiots barreled past without a second thought. She sighed in relief, then took a glance around the room she ended up in and concluded that she was in the room that operated the ventilation. A table resting underneath a vent caught her eye, and climbed on top of it, grabbing hold of the cover to the vent and rattling it, hoping it would loosen. Again her prayers were answered by whoever the fuck was listening, and it gave way in her hands.

She set it at her feet on the table and climbed her way into the ventilation shaft, finding the inside to be hot and dusty. Fortunately some light was coming in from other rooms that the shaft went through, so she didn’t have to crawl blindly through the darkness. She inhaled deeply and began to move forward, being as silent as possible, but she didn’t indulge in the in the illusion that her escape route wouldn’t be discovered for long. It was very likely that Levi had cameras everywhere, so it was only a matter of time before she was discovered.

Before the claustrophobia could get a hold of her, Eren finally saw an end to the shaft. The sun was long set by now, but moonlight was making its way in through the gridded cover at the end of the shaft. Quickly, Eren crawled to the cover and pushed against it with all her might, relieved when it finally gave way under the pressure. She climbed out of the shaft slowly, finding herself on a projection roof overlooking the backyard.

She could hear commands echoing all around her, men running every direction.

“Find Yeager at all cost!” a voice called sharply across the yard. “Boss will reward anyone who’s able to catch her! _Alive_!”

Eren swallowed hard as she thought about her chances of escape. Maybe if she just dropped onto the ground from here and started to run? It was only three meters down, she could definitely manage it—

“Watch out, we’re releasing the dogs!” another gangster yelled, and Eren made sure to scramble back away from the edge she was about to jump from.

“What about catching me alive …” she muttered to herself dryly as she watched the razer-toothed animals race into the backyard. There were at least ten of them, German Shepherds, barking loudly and sniffing around aggressively. “They’d tear me apart on sight.”

There was now no other option but to escape via the rooftops. If she could make it to the front entrance without being discovered, then she could surely get away somehow. The projection wall she was on stretched out to connect to the main building next door, so Eren began to crawl in that direction, being sure not to slide down the slight incline to fall to the ground. Almost immediately the dogs caught on to her scent, and they were at the ground below here within seconds, barking at her madly.

“Shush!” Eren whispered frantically. “Who’s a good quiet little pup?” She cooed, but of course the dogs weren’t impressed and continued their barking. “Come on, go away and bark at someone else! Please, good little doggies … please— _oh my god will you shut the fuck up and piss off already_?!” Eren cursed angrily, trying to keep her volume down.

She knew yelling at them would have no effect, but she somehow felt better afterwards. Focusing in her original task, she noticed that she was already at the junction of the building she was on and the main building. She climbed onto the projection wall on the main building and continued toward the driveway. The next few meters along the wall would be tough, especially now that she was higher up than she was before, but Eren decided to rely on her parkour skills she picked up in high school and pressed on.

Unfortunately, Eren noticed that her legs were already feeling like jelly with all the crawling and running she had already done, but she had no choice but to press on. She took hold of one of the second floor window sills and hefted herself into a standing position, her feet planted firmly in the flower bed at the edge of the window, carefully shimmying across the space of the window to the next one, which was open. She used that to her advantage and climbed across to the rain gutter, and all she’d have to do was slide down to the driveway and make her escape—

It was then that she noticed the flaw in her plan. She expected a few men to be stationed below, but not the small army taking up the entire driveway. Obviously catching her was a high priority for these men, otherwise there probably wouldn’t be this number of armed gangsters waiting for her to make an appearance.

“Fuck,” Eren muttered to herself. “What now?”

It was only a matter of time before someone would look up and see her plain as day at the edge of the wall about to slide down the rain gutter. Slowly but definitely panicking, Eren looked behind her and remembered that the second window she climbed was still open. Chances were no one was in there, since everyone was outside looking for her, so Eren used the last of her strength to climb back over and crawl inside.

She found herself to be in a library of sorts, surrounded by bookshelves left and right. It was pretty dark inside, but she caught sight of a cozy couch against the wall, and immediately found the door, making her way shakily towards it. Now she just had to sneak out, find some kind of weapon and fight her way out of here. She thought of her chances of escape if he just hid for a few hours until the men would give up. Maybe, she thought as she pushed down the handle of the door, she could confront Levi herself—

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt when she realized that the door was actually locked. She frantically rattle the knob, hoping that it was just stuck, to no avail.

“What the hell—“ she murmured. “What is wrong with this fucking house?!”

Frantically she searched the room for something she could use to break the lock again, silently wishing that she had kept the old credit card she used earlier, but she turned up empty handed.

“Are you looking for these, my love?”

Eren whipped around and almost lost it when she saw Levi leaning casually against the window across the room, twirling the keys on his finger.

Damn this bastard for always sneaking up on her, and damn her poor heart for fluttering at that smirk.

“Jesus Christ!” she exclaimed as her eyes scanned the room for others, noticing that they were thankfully the only ones in the room.

“You should be more keen on your surroundings,” Levi began casually. “I admit, you impressed me back there, but I deduct some points for your recklessness. Someday it will get you killed.”

Eren didn’t react to his criticism, instead crossing her arms and glaring at him.

“Why should I care what you say?” she hissed. “Explain yourself, and this bullshit.”

He stared at her for a moment through dark, heavy-lidded eyes before he slipped the keys into his pocket.

“Sit down, Eren.” He said calmly, ignoring her questions. “You look exhausted.”

The way he dodged her questions and spoke to her as if she was a child made her blood boil.

“The fuck will I sit down!” she yelled. “Is _this_ your way of thanking someone who fucking saved you from those bastard Titans?!”

Levi again didn’t answer her, instead sauntering over to her with a strange look in his eyes.

“Calm down and get your ass on the damn couch.” He commanded low.

“Stop bossing me around give me the damn keys!” she snapped back.

She lunged forward, not really knowing if she just wanted the keys or if she really wanted to harm him. But of course, Levi wouldn’t let her have her way. Without much effort he caught her wrists and held them in a firm grip, Eren struggling profusely to no use. He had always been stronger than her, she knew that, but her exhaustion from her escapade earlier made her stop her struggling, reluctantly leaning against him for support.

“Why are you always kidnapping people whenever you feel like it?” she asked, her voice wavering, giving away too much emotion. “Why do you have to be such a fucking criminal?”

“I’m sorry Eren,” Levi began, a hint of softness in his voice, letting go of her wrists and wrapping his arms around her. “Calm down, I don’t want to hurt you.”

Eren scoffed angrily and spat, “Yeah, you have your people for that kind of shit.”

“As far as I know,” Levi drawled with a piercing gaze, “you were the one that took out three of my men without a second thought. And you even used my good champagne, I was hoping you’d use that ugly ass vase Hanji gave me in the cabinet.”

“How do you—“ Eren whispered, lifting her head slowly. The sense of foreboding from before returned. “So you _were_ watching!” She gritted her teeth. “What are you planning? I demand you tell me! I’m starting to get real fucking tired of this bullshit!”

“Oh really?” Levi tilted his head curiously. “Glad to hear that you’re feeling the same as I do. I’m growing tired of this constant game of cat and mouse we are playing.” He brought his lips to her ear as he murmured, “But don’t worry, my sweetheart. I have a solution for our pitiful situation.”

Eren’s eyes widened, the dangerous undertone to his statement not going unnoticed. She tried to make out his expression in the darkness as he pulled back from her ear. She noticed the same animalistic smirk she saw in the van that night, and knew he was up to somethin. And certainly it would not be something she’d like.

“Eren, do you have any idea why I put you through that shit just now?” Levi asked, his voic low and steady, nevertheless demanding her full attention.

“What you _put me through_?” she repeated angrily, slowly backing out of his arms and away from him. “Do you normally put innocent people through that? I any case, no, I have no fucking clue.”

“It was a test.” He explained, and his smirk only grew. “And congrats, you passed.”

Eren blinked, then laughed bitterly. So that explained the nearly empty hallways, unloaded weapons … it all made sense now.

“Oh, and what’s my big prize?” She sneered, crossing her arms.

“Your prize? Hmm, let’s see.” Levi pretended to really think about it. “Maybe I’ll tell you a story.”

The unnerving atmosphere intensified, but Eren refused to show it. She would not let him intimidate her.

“So that’s what I’m here for? A bedtime story?” Eren countered, “Thanks, but I refuse.”

He ignored her remark, looking at her with a serious expression.

“Sit down before I make you.” Levi demanded again. “I don’t think you’ll like the outcome of the latter.”

Eren glared at him, considering just kicking the door down and running. Although she might act recklessly at times, she knew it would be pointless to do something so stupid right now. Even if she won a fight against him, she knew she stood no chance against the army of gangsters outside. She knew that the best course of action at the moment was to do as he said.

Still glaring daggers at him, she sat down on the rather comfortable couch. With a satisfied smirk that Eren would take pleasure wiping off his face with a good slap, Levi moved and positioned himself on the opposite wall, leaning on it with his arms crossed.

“I want to make you an offer.” He deadpanned.

“I don’t make deals with criminals.” Eren shot back immediately.

His eyes flashed, and Eren suppressed the urge to make herself smaller. God only knew why, but she felt cornered all of a sudden, as if she was in a trap set by him.

“Still going on about that criminal thing? Well actually, I’m glad you brought that up.” He wandered over to another little cupboard and pulled out a red folder, before he turned around again. “My _oh so straightforward_ Agent Yeager.”

The way he emphasized those words awakened a long forgotten fear inside of her, and Eren had to force herself to remain silent. Eyes glued to the folder, she waited suspiciously for what he would say next.

“Why so quiet all of a sudden Eren?” He asked smugly as he came closer. “That’s so unlike you.”

She was stretched to the snapping point, so all she could do was hiss at him in defense.

“Get to the point!”

Levi leaned against the bookshelf closest to her and continued to watch her.

“You know, I did some research.” He explained, gesturing to the folder in his hand. “I thought, if Eren has so much fun researching me, why don’t I give it a try?”

Levi’s gaze flickered and then intensified on her. His lips turned upwards, but the smirk didn’t reach his calculating eyes.

Eren’s blood ran cold.

_He knows._

“And indeed,” Levi continued, flipping carelessly through the pages in the folder, “It was quite interesting.”

He tossed the folder onto the small end table next to her, absorbing every one of her reactions attentively.

She gulped and glanced down at it. Somehow she knew what was written on those files, but the picture on the first page was like a punch in the stomach for her. She was hit by a wave of nausea as she eyed the swollen face of a man in his thirties. His reddened eyes stared back at her from the picture inanimately, his lips tugged up in a priggish smile. A deep, intense anger rose up in her, and her hands clenched into fists at her sides on the couch.

Levi noticed the movement.

“Have you seen this man before, Eren?” he asked, ignoring her reactions.

“No.” She choked out, barely keeping her voice steady.

“Too bad,” Levi said, his eyes shining dangerously. “Well then, let me tell you about him. It’s quite the mystery, and who knows, maybe you can help me, with your expertise as a criminal investigator and all that jazz. Wouldn't that be fun, _Eren_?” His voice dropped into a low whisper, as if the words were a secret, just for them. “The two of us, solving this case together.”

She gulped, trying to clear her face of all emotion.

“You know, I stumbled across this a while ago, but didn’t pay much attention to it back then.” He stated in a business-like tone. “Boris Feulner was not what you’d call a nice guy. In fact, he was a loose street rat hat engaged in some pretty dubious business. Nothing big, surely not enough to make a living. But you couldn’t deny that this douche was nothing but shady. He was suspected of fraud, larceny, and drug-dealing. But that’s not all.” Levi shot Eren a meaningful look, and she curled up her toes within her shoes at the tension that was building inside her.

“Some people said that behind closed doors, he was one of those pigs who harassed innocent girls, eventually raping one on her way home. It was hard to find info on that very special incident, people tend to block out horrible events such as that.” While talking, Levi began to lazily pace the room, making Eren’s nervousness worse. He didn’t break his gaze from her for a second.

“Luckily, my informant is one of the best, and eventually she found out the name of the unlucky girl who was violated by this dickhead. And here’s the funny thing, Eren.” His voice dropped lower, and the hairs on the back of Eren’s neck stood up. “You said that you’ve never met this guy before, didn’t you? Yet the name of his victim is Historia Reiss. If I remember correctly, your cousin.”

She tried to block out everything that started to crash into her mind again. It was no use though, the memories and emotions flooded in, intoxicating her soul from deep within. Hate, desperation, powerlessness - and an all devouring rage.

“Well, back to Feulner.” Levi continued. “He messed with several people, and it was no surprise that one day he vanished. A huge amount of blood was found at his apartment, so there was obviously quite the struggle. However, his neighbors claimed to hear nothing, because nobody gave a damn about the disgusting pig. Nobody except his accomplice Ralph, who also disappeared.”

Levi kept watching Eren’s every move, surprised that she wasn’t making a single sound. He laid a finger on his chin, pretending to be deep in thought.

“Now I just wondered who did the honor of ridding humanity of these pigs off the face of the earth. I thought any criminal in this city would be proud of the deed and would brag about it, but no one claimed responsibility. The person who killed Feulner and apparently Ralph just disappeared. That’s where I need your help, Eren.” Levi said, suddenly coming to a halt with his pacing. “With your experience as an investigator, what do you think happened to this person? I’m _dying_ to find them.”

He stood in front of her, staring her down. For the first time in her life she couldn’t meet his gaze.

Seeing no signs that she was going to answer him, Levi went on.

“Okay, I’ll tell you my theories first.” He smirked and crossed his arms. “Maybe they became a gangster and are now serving under me or the Titans and are too shy to step up? Or did they leave the city and start a new life? I really wonder. Killing two men in a bloodbath like that and then vanishing completely, going back to their life as a normal citizen—is unlikely.” Levi began pacing in front of her again, knowing full well that it was making her nervous.

“Besides, they don’t seem like the type of person to hide and spend an ordinary life somewhere else, do they? I feel like they are incapable of ignoring the injustice on this island without standing up to it.” He stopped in front of her and leaned down to her ear and watched delightedly how her eyes widened. “Maybe they went down a completely different path, one where they could let out their violent side and live on adrenaline. Maybe—“ His voice dropped to a low whisper. “they became a criminal investigator, tracking down more criminals like the ones they killed?”

Levi could see the tears welling up in her eyes, and he knew he had her.

“Maybe that’s why you’re so obsessed with catching me.” Levi purred. “It wasn’t just to stop and punish me. You wanted to recover from your guilt, to wash away your sins. You thought, if you could just catch the biggest criminal in town and put him behind bars, your guilt of killing those two men would disappear.”

Eren began to tremble lightly. Levi’s heart clenched at the sight; he wanted nothing more than to take her into his arms and comfort her, but this wasn’t over yet, so he continued.

“You and me, we’re too similar. The whole time, you didn’t want to lock _me_ up, but this piece of yourself you had buried deep within you all those years ago, that you fight so desperately.”

The tears were streaming down her face now, and her eyes glowed like burning diamonds in the darkness of the library.

“You almost fooled me, Sweetheart. Who would have thought that my pure little Eren would do _anything_ against the law?”

“I-I didn’t—“ Eren tried to object, but Levi was having none of it.

“Stop denying it. I can read every one of those emotions in your eyes, Eren.” He snarled and took the folder in his hand again. “You killed Feulner because he raped your dear cousin, and the other guy perhaps because he witnessed it? After they disappeared, you also vanished from the city for a good two weeks, even though you were still in school at the time. It’s all written down here, in this report.”

He knew it was cruel to torture her like this, but it was necessary. Everyone had to go through his, and Eren was no exception.

“You couldn’t deal with the blood on your hands, even if it was for revenge.” His voice lowered again. “By killing the monsters in front of you, you ended up absorbing the darkness into your own heart, and now you can’t control it. Am I wrong, Eren?”

His hypnotizing voice make it impossible for her to lie anymore. She tried to ignore the icy claw that was reaching for her heart.

“We … we went to the police and reported the rape,” she whispered, tears blurring her sight. “Historia had to go through the whole thing again just to tell the police officers what happened, but they didn’t believe her.” Her voice trembled as anger began to set in.

“Those fucking morons were supposed to protect the weak, yet all they cared about was living a comfortable life with their rank. So I went to that pig’s house to see what he looked like for myself, and there he was, sitting with his bastard friend, bragging about what kind of face Historia would make if he’d gone for another round, and I couldn’t take it!” Eren sobbed. “I just couldn’t.”

Her body was shivering as she was reliving the memory in her head, grotesque images flashing through her mind without her permission. The nausea hit again, like a toxic bullet right into her stomach.

“I felt sick and wanted to throw up,” Eren admitted, not caring that she was playing right into Levi’s hands at this point. The urge to tell someone was too strong. She’d kept these feelings in for so long, how she’d longed to share them with someone and have them shoulder the pain with her. “Then they noticed me at the door and made fun of me. They kept spewing lies of how Historia would have enjoyed it, and that was it.”

Levi stood still in front of her, listening in silence, but Eren seemed to forget that he was there at this point anyway. In her mind, she was seventeen again, standing in an awful smelling apartment, the knife hidden behind her back, while those monsters stepped ever closer to her, leering and laughing.

“His breath reeked of alcohol, and he kept laughing, as if the whole thing was just a big joke. It was so disgusting. But then I stabbed him, again and again, till any noises that came out of his filthy mouth ceased.”

Her eyes were as wide as dinner plates, looking down at her trembling fingers, imagining the blood once on them, _still_ on them.

“Ralph was shocked at first, but then he got ahold of himself and attacked me, and I felt so sick, so unbelievably sick. But I flung out my knife another time, and countless times after that, and then—I don’t know, I just kind of blacked out. Eventually I came to and found myself sitting on the floor, soaked in blood. The stench in the air nearly made me gag, it was abominably salty and … rusty.” Eren blinked, finally looking up at Levi. “They were beasts disguised as humans, and they didn’t deserve to live.” She choked out, still shivering from the memory.

She felt so utterly exhausted all of a sudden.

“Shh, Eren, I know.” Levi started, his tone soft again. “I completely understand.” He cupped her face, whipping away the tears that still dripped down her cheeks. “But let me tell you some things, Eren. What you did wasn’t wrong. However, the feeling of guilt won’t ever disappear, whether you catch me or not. The monster inside you will awaken again sometime or another if you keep ignoring it like you are. And next time, innocent people might pay the price.”

Eren didn’t understand where he was going with this, but she didn’t care at the moment. Her body and mind felt so tired, so fucking tired—

“Stop struggling against your dark past, and embrace your inner demons instead.” Levi leaned his forehead against hers, connecting her to reality again, making it impossible for Eren to zone out. “It’s this side that has rescued future victims from that beast Feulner, and it’s also this side that gave you the strength to overpower me back then. Your sense of justice and your willpower are strengths, not weaknesses.”

The smell of Levi’s aftershave wafted into Eren’s nose, holding her up out of the darkness of her memories. When he was sure she had come down from her episode, he whipped the last tear away and stood up.

“If you keep working under those hypocritical assholes of Scouting Legion, your full potential will be wasted. Instead, you’ll live a life of constant hiding, struggling, and having to put up with shitty colleagues like Nile Dok.” He paused, eyeing her intensely. “Till that one day you finally snap.”

Eren frowned. Slowly it dawned on her what he was getting at.

“What are you saying?” she asked cautiously.

Levi tilted his head.

“Stop fighting me Eren,” there it was again, that fucking smooth _purring_ voice that mesmerized her and only made it harder for her to think clearly. “We’re the same. I can see your true colors; I know your good sides as well as that darkness you try so hard to hide. Come to me, and I will show you how to tame that beast inside of you. Your greatest wish is to overcome injustice and protect the weak, is it not?”

“What—“ Eren couldn’t even find the words to articulate a single thought she wanted to say.

Levi simply continued. “I offer you the place of an elite fighter in my squad. That’s the deal, Eren. Lend me your strength, and together we’ll wipe away all the human waste that plagues our city and create peace and a safe haven for the innocent.”

Her jaw dropped, and she needed a few breaths before she could speak again in her shock.

“You—you’re insane.”

“I’m sorry about the show I put on before.” Like always, his expression didn’t change much, but Eren noticed the sad glint in his eyes. “I truly am. But that’s the mandatory test for how you get admitted into the Wings of Freedom. We needed to make absolutely sure that you are an excellent fighter that doesn’t get intimidated easily. Everyone had to go through this, Auruo even pissed his pants back then when the dogs came after him. But that tough little bastard made it.” Levi’s face softened, before he caught Eren’s unbelieving stare once again. “I hope you don’t hate me now,” he murmured, and she didn’t miss the desperation in his voice.

But that didn’t matter, he could go and regret it all he wanted. It didn’t change the fact that he had kidnapped her and made her go through hell to escape.

“You—you’re fucking incredible.” Eren hissed lividly and jumped to her feet. “How in the everliving fuck did you get the idea that I’d join a criminal organization after all these years of hard work?!”

“I figured you wouldn’t be enthusiastic about it in the beginning,” Levi sighed and sauntered back over to the window. “But take a close, realistic look on your future in the Scouting Legion, Eren. Even if Erwin seems to be an honorable man, do you really think you’ll be able to cultivate a great career out of it, between those cozy cowards that do nothing but sit around like Dok? Do you think they’ll accept you moving up the ladder, when they know that you’ll kick their asses into gear and ruin their comfortable work lives? Especially after all your violent behavior and the rumors of you hooking up with a criminal.”

“This…you planned this all along!” Eren gritted her teeth and clenched her fists.

“Well, not this part especially, no. Like I said, that newspaper article was not the greatest for my rep either. But I can’t deny that it my plans a little easier.” He turned to her again, dark gray eyes locked on hers. “Think about my generous offer, Eren. Other people would literally _kill_ to become one of my elites.”

He flashed her a sly grin and pulled the keys from before out of his pocket. “I’ll come for your answer in a few days, Eren.”

And with that he strode to the door and unlocked it, opening it and leaving without another word, leaving a shocked and utterly confused Eren.

 

\---

 

Auruo and Petra brought Eren home, but Eren’s mind wouldn’t stop spinning. The rough treatment of the kidnapping she endured reminded Eren of the one, simple thing she wasn’t supposed to forget; that this was the Mafia, and they didn’t fuck around. Obviously this reminder was a welcome one, because somehow, in the last few days, she had begun to see them all differently; more like friends. Or like those odd family members you’re embarrassed by, but you can’t help loving them.

Eren was finding it practically impossible to fall asleep.

Levi’s strange offer kept replaying in her mind again and again. Eren being a gangster in the elite squad of the mafia—what an absurd thought. Levi was clearly out of his mind to suggest such a thing. Of course, she knew that it would have been a win-win for him. He’d earn a great fighter in his squad, and lose a dangerous enemy at the same time. His claim of the whole deal being a solution to their problem kept repeating in her head, and despite laying alone in her bed that night, Eren blushed and squirmed under her blankets. Had it really been that obvious to Levi that she was interested in him? That she also constantly thought about the possibility of them being together?

As if she would submit to joining a criminal organization just because she thought the leader was a little attractive. Or, well, maybe extremely attractive. And hot. And smooth.

Fuck, she was getting nowhere with this.

With the little sleep she got, despite all her thoughts about Levi, all Eren dreamt about were horrifying nightmares of merciless beasts, trying to eat her alive and tear everything in her world apart. She woke up crying more than once and blamed Levi for dredging up those horrible memories, ones that were beginning to fade into the back of her mind like white noise, never to be remembered again. All of that work was for nothing now, as she could feel that tell-tale restlessness spreading throughout her being once again.

 

\---

 

After that rather restless night with little sleep, Eren managed to look halfway decent for the planned visit from her mother.

Seeing the older woman again helped her put her mind at ease at least for a while. She enjoyed their short brunch, and Carla’s soft smile was so contagious Eren found herself smiling as well. They joked around and gossiped about Carla’s neighbor, and Eren was more than thankful that her mother didn’t bring up Thomas again. Somehow the older woman must have sensed that her daughter’s love life was a rather sensitive topic at the moment.

Eventually they made their way to the parking lot to Eren’s car, exchanging some last words of farewell before Carla took over her vehicle for the day.

“Und denk dran dich mal wieder richtig auszuruhen, bevor du bald wieder arbeiten musst.” ( _“And remember to rest properly before you go back to work.”_ ) her mother reminded her gently.

“Jaja, Mutsch.” ( _“Yeah yeah Mom.”_ ) Eren rolled her eyes and grabbed the pile of clothes from her backseat to clear some space.

She was rather glad that Levi had her car cleaned before returning it to her, knowing her mother would not be too keen on the messy state it was in beforehand.

“Grüß Betty von mir.” ( _“Say hello to Betty for me.”_ ) Eren said and closed the door.

“Was ist mit Thomas, soll ich ihn auch grüßen?” ( _“What about Thomas, shall I say hello to him too?”_ ) Carla asked cautiously while she got the keys from Eren.

“Mir egal.” ( _“I don’t care.”_ ) the younger woman answered briskly. “Wir sind nicht mehr wirklich Freunde.” ( _“We’re not really friends anymore.”_ )

“Ich seh’ schon.” ( _“I see.”_ ) Carla sighed. “Naja, wir sehen uns morgen, Spätzchen. Ich bring dir das Auto dann mittags zurück.” ( _“Well, I’ll see you tomorrow honey. I’ll return the car around midday.”_ )

“Tschau!” ( _“Bye!”_ ) Eren waved her mother goodbye and turned around to go back to her apartment.

She could hear her mother open the driver’s side door and get inside, closing the door with a click. Eren was almost to the entrance of her apartment building, so she pulled out her keys to open the main door. A small breeze came up and played with her hair, and Eren sighed in contentment. She was about to turn the key when a sudden loud bang stopped her dead in her tracks.

Eren whipped around, and even before her eyes were able to take in the situation in the parking lot, she already knew that something was horribly, horribly wrong.

But her worst nightmares were actually surpassed as she saw the fire that raised from her car. Everything was drowned in orange and red, not to mention the thick waves of smoke that ascended into the sky, tinting the air black.

“Mama! Mama!” Eren screamed as she dropped everything and sprinted towards the remains of her car.

The run felt eternal, like she was in a nightmare where the car just kept getting farther and farther away from her, but the petrifying reality slammed right into her when she got to the car.

“No no no, everything is fine, Mama is fine.” She whispered horrified to herself as she rounded the inferno to the driver’s side.

She could see her mother’s unconscious form lying next to the open driver door. Eren was struck with horror, but she didn’t allow herself to be overwhelmed by the cruel sight. Without even thinking, Eren lunged forward and pulled her mother away from the burning car, just in time to save her from another smaller explosion that followed seconds later.

“Mama, gottverdammt, wach auf!” ( _“Mom, goddammit, wake up!”_ ) Eren yelled and she shook Carla, but it was no use.

Her gentle, honey-colored eyes remained closed.

 

\---

 

Eren had been in the hospital the whole day, sitting there uselessly in the uncomfortable waiting room chairs, waiting for word from the doctors. All the while her mind had still not grasped the whole situation. The thought of who could have done this crossed her mind more than once, because one thing was clear; this had not been an accident, but an attempt on someone’s life. Not Carla’s, but Eren’s.

There could only be one group who would pull something like this; the Titans. “Accidents” with cars were something like their trademark of sorts, or just their favorite way of offing their enemies. Now that they knew that she was somehow connected to Levi, they probably had a strong interest in getting her out of the way. The show she put on for them that night on the run with Levi probably put her at the top of their kill list.

Though the police had already heard her testimony, she had made sure to call her colleagues at the Scouting Legion to tell them of her suspicions. Erwin promised to initiate investigations as soon as she’d be able to come in for work. Although the thought of reporting the tragic incident to someone like Nile Dok made her stomach churn.

After a long, exhausting afternoon of wearing down the tile of the floor with all her pacing, finally a doctor approached Eren. As soon as she noticed the woman in the white coat with her eyes on her, she halted her pacing and raced to her.

Before Eren could say anything though, the doctor shoved a white Styrofoam cup filled with water into her hands.

“Drink, Miss Yeager, or you will faint from dehydration.” The woman said sternly.

Her voice was calm and serious, strangely comforting and stirring to Eren at the same time.

“How’s my mom?” she asked with a hoarse voice after she forced down two gulps of water.

The doctor looked at her with scrutinizing eyes, and for a second Eren’s heart stopped.

“She’s alright, isn’t she ... ?” she pleaded, heart throbbing in her chest.

“…she’s no longer in danger. She’ll live.” The doctor reassured her, and Eren’s shoulders slumped down in relief.

“Thank goodness…” she whispered and closed her eyes.

Finally she was able to breathe again, the giant walls she had built up around her heart all afternoon came crumbling down. She opened her eyes again and tears of joy coupled with distress rolled down her face.

“Please, site down.” The doctor said, furrowing her brows in slight concern. “Today was a lot to handle for both of you, and I don’t want you passing out on me.”

“It’s fine,” Eren assured with a shaky breath, but obeyed anyway and sat down next to her. “As long as my mother will be okay.”

The doctor nodded. “Yes, she’ll make it, but she has a long way ahead of her. The operation was quite complicated, and her injuries are still very serious. It will take time to recover.” She explained. “She’s still unconscious at the moment, and I say for sure whether she will ever be the same, but I assure you she’s out of the woods. Though there are hard times of recovery in the future.” The woman allowed herself a little smile. “But she’ll make it. Your mother is quite the fighter, Miss Yeager.”

“Yes, she is.” Eren said softly, still too overwhelmed to say anything more.

The doctor told her she was allowed to see her mother, but when she stepped into the room, the sight of the machines, all around Carla like a protective barrier, Eren’s heart clenched. She looked so fragile and delicate, it tore Eren’s insides apart.

“Es tut mir so leid, Mama.” ( _“I’m sorry Mom."_ ) She murmured and took her hand. “Ich bin diejenige, die es hätte treffen sollen.” ( _"I’m the one who should be laying here.”_ )

Carla’s skin was pale, so different from its normal olive color, and her eyes remained closed. A single tear dropped from Eren’s face onto her mother’s hand.

“Von jetzt an werde ich dich beschützen, Mama.” ( _“From now on, I will protect you, Mom.”_ )

 

\---

 

Eren finally left the hospital and retired in her apartment for the night. She didn’t know what to do with herself after an entire afternoon of pacing wildly, and all she could feel now was a deep, intense exhaustion. Somehow she felt like she had been awake for days, and the events of earlier didn’t make the feeling any better. The image of the burning car, the noise of the explosions resonated in her mind, and she had to lean against the wall to keep from collapsing.

Not bothering to walk over to the couch, she just slid down the green painted wall, slowly sitting down on the floor. Cool air flooded the dark room from her open balcony door, but Eren didn’t care. It was as if everything had lost its spark, leaving her behind with a dull feeling inside.

She didn’t know how long she had been sitting there when she heard footsteps coming from the balcony. She didn’t even need to look up to know who it was; even without the tell-tale whir of the cables from the weird maneuver gear he used, she could feel his presence.

“Go away Levi.” She growled. “I can’t handle your shit right now.”

On other occasions she might have berated herself for the defeated and desperate tone in her voice, but at that moment she didn’t give a damn. Nothing was of any importance to her at that moment. All she could do was continue to sit there, her arms wrapped around her legs and her forehead pressed to her knees.

Levi remained in the balcony entrance as he stored his handpieces away.

“Listen, I’m not here to pressure you or anything.” He explained. “I heard about what happened, and I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

Eren laughed bitterly. “I’m totally fine,” She replied sarcastically. “despite the fact that those bastards were too dumb to kill me and got my mother instead.”

Levi sighed. It wasn’t surprising to find Eren like this, but seeing her bitter and defeated shot a wave of pain through his chest. Even though he wasn’t the best at the act of comforting, he wanted to try.

“How is she?” he asked while cautiously stepping into the apartment towards Eren.

“She’ll live. But there’s a tough time ahead of her.”

Finally she lifted her head and glanced up at him where he stood in front of her, eyes red and puffy. Levi had assumed that she would snap at him to fuck off, but instead she even scooted over a bit to make a place for him. Levi took the hint and sat down next to her, waiting for her to continue talking.

“She always nagged me for choosing such a dangerous job, and I never listened. Now she’s paying the price for my stubbornness.”

Eren leaned against Levi’s shoulder, surprising him. He remained silent, just wrapping his arm around her, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

“All she wanted was for me to be happy.” Eren whispered, tears streaming down her face once again. “But I ignored her.”

Levi’s warmth against her had a strangely soothing effect on her, and her head cleared a bit from the dark thoughts swirling around in her mind. At that moment she wasn’t even thinking about their last encounter at the villa, as it really wasn’t important in comparison to the current situation. All that was on her mind was her mother and how Levi managed to keep her grounded.

“Aren’t you happy with your life?” Levi asked into the darkness.

Eren shrugged her shoulders; she really had no answer to that right now. It was like she had hit a wall in her life, but also like it was falling to piece around her, and she was nowhere near putting them back together.

“I’m sure your mother is in no way mad at you. She must be proud of you, and how strong you have become.” Levi spoke as Eren remained silent, sensing the feelings of guilt overtaking her again. “You protected hundreds of people from the criminals you caught, Eren.”

He nuzzled his face into the soft locks of her chestnut hair, planting a light kiss on her temple. Eren felt strangely calmed, but despite it she let out a humorless laugh.

“That’s an odd thing to hear coming out of _your_ mouth.” She murmured, closing her eyes to enjoy the feeling of his lips on her skin.

Levi detached himself from her apple-scented hair and couldn’t help but smile.

“What are you planning to do now?” he asked.

The answer he got was definitely not what he expected, and not one that he would ever forget.

“I’m going to annihilate those damn Titans.” Eren opened her eyes and locked on his, revealing beautiful, glowing emerald orbs with golden flecks dancing in them. A determined and somehow _raw_ smile stretched across her face. “These bastards are going to pay for what they did to my mother. I'll hunt them down, and when I find them, I'll rip them into pieces. I will slay them. _Every last one of them._ ”

Her voice was deep, intense, and Levi suppressed a shiver. He watched her closely, never breaking eye contact, fascinated by the willpower shining through her words alone.

“Eren,” he began. “You know I can help you with that.”

She blinked, the crazed look gone as soon as it came, as she fixed him with a suspicious glare.

“I’m not going to—“

“Hear me out.” Levi interrupted gently. “I know that you’re in deep shit right now. Like I said, I’m not here to pressure you into anything. So I’m here to change the conditions of my original offer.”

His gaze remained locked on hers, making sure she’d understand everything he was about to say clearly.

“You can come with us to rid the world of the human waste which is the Titans. It can be a temporary arrangement, and after that you’ll be free to be the successful agent once again. You can even continue hunting me, if that’s what makes you happy.”

A hint of sadness slipped into his voice, and Eren’s eyes went wide.

A loud whistle, presumably a signal of some sort, came from outside, and Levi turned towards the balcony.

“I have to go now,” he whispered, turning back to Eren.

For a brief moment he hesitated, but then he leaned in, cupping her face and giving her a sweet, tender kiss. She kissed back without even thinking, just relishing the warmth that spread inside of her. Eventually Levi pulled back and stood up, and Eren felt somehow empty at the loss of contact. Levi quickly went over to the balcony, pulling out the hand pieces to his maneuver gear as he hopped on the edge.

He looked over his shoulder once to leave her with one last thing.

“Think about it, Eren. Come with me, and together we will destroy the Titans.”

And then he was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I COULDN'T DO IT OKAY, I just couldn't kill Carla ;-;  
> Call me weak or soft, but I wasn't able to kill her for the sake of this fic. She is an awesome lady that deserves to live a long and happy live, and Eren deserves to have her Mama by her side!
> 
> And I'm currently writing chapter 12 and damn, I'm so excited. It took us just 11 chapters of 'quick' foreplay, and we're finally able to watch our babies getting to the point. I'm talking about steamy, lust-driven, hot sex.  
> Oh I really can't wait.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's getting hot in here...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess some of you thought you wouldn't see another update from me, but BAM. Here it is. I told you I wouldn't drop this fic, as long as it's in my power to continue.  
> Though my life was pretty shitty at times during the last months, and there was one point I thought I could never write a single word of fiction again (yes, three weeks without writing and I already assume I failed and can never write again - not exaggerating AT ALL, Bibi). And then I heard a new song I liked and suddenly my tired brain pooped out the whole remaining plot of this fic in not even ten minutes, and DAMN now I am excited and motivated to write again. Oh god this is going to be great.  
> So yes, sorry for the long waiting time, but hands down. This is my favorite chapter so far, and I hope you'll consider it worth the wait.

If the chaos in her mind had been intense before, it became even worse after Levi had left.

Thoughts were racing through Eren's head, and the weight of them pushed her down, up to the point where she was unable to lift her body up from the wall. The question on what to do now was overwhelming, nagging at her more than anything. One thing was clear: she couldn’t let things go on the way she has been. If she pretended everything around her was okay, her world would crumble. The Titans would kill either her or even worse, her mother, and she would been torn between her feelings for Levi and the sense of duty for her job that still hold her back.

It felt like the control over her life had been ripped violently from Eren's hands, and she desperately tried to get a grasp on it again. Feeling this helpless and powerless was one of the worst things she could imagine, and the realisation made it hard for her to breathe. Burying her head in her hands, she concentrated on slowing her breathing. Decisions had been so easy to her before. Even in tough times, Eren had always known what to do. She was straight-forward, honest, and though it had been more than inconvenient at times, she had always chosen what she thought had been the right thing.That was just her personality; she would give her life for a fairer and more peaceful world.

But was she okay with the thought of sacrificing her mother for her ideals?

Thinking about this, what were her ideals anyway? All she had ever wanted was to protect the weak, to clear the city of injustice and criminality. But for the first time in her life Eren began to grasp that these two things might not be possible at the same time.

Injustice and criminality weren't necessarily related to one another. Justice and law were not the same, either, and realization took her breath away for a brief moment.

She had spent her whole life protecting the law, believing that what she was doing was the right thing, the only thing to do, but now the heavy realisation began to sink in. In a city where money and corruption ruled, fighting for the government did not necessarily mean working with the people in mind. Maybe she had been lucky until this day, always entrusted with tasks of catching criminals that actually were a threat to the weak, but Levi was the first person she came across that made her see that there still was an entirely different way of being deviant.

Eren was shaking, her world slowly crumbling away under her feet. The path she had been walking her whole life was unravelling around her, her resolve disappearing. What was she supposed to do now? The tension building up in her body become unbearable, physical pain shooting through her chest. Desperately, Eren ran a sweaty hand through her hair, ruffling it obsessively and gripping it. She had to make a decision, and for that it would be wiser to think rationally. Honestly, she was not known for thinking rationally, but it was worth a try, wasn't it?

Slowly, Eren realised that her passion and determination was a big strength which would help to achieve her goals, but if she wanted to be successful, she also had to use her brain and weigh the possibilities. That much she owed herself and the people she wanted to protect.

The image of her mother, injured and defenceless, came to her mind again. A painful jolt shot through her body. The anger began boiling up inside of her again, hate and despair devouring all of her insides. If the Titans thought they could do whatever the hell they wanted and hurt people for the sake of their evil plan, then they were badly mistaken.

She would not let this act of crime go unpunished.

Eren hadn't even noticed when she had stood up and clenched her fists tightly. She didn't even care, the thought of revenge already consuming her entire being. She would make them pay, and she would spill as much Titan blood as it took to eradicate that waste from the face of earth. Nobody would be spared, she would hunt down every single one of them—

Eren's gaze flickered to her reflection in the dark screen of her TV and she startled for a second. Her face was a grotesque grimace of anger, eyes burning with hate. Was... was she really looking at her own face?

All what she had ever wanted was to clear the streets of her beloved city from injustice and criminality. Protecting the weak was one of her highest priorities, and Eren had thought the only way to do so was becoming a police officer and upholding the law. But after the last few months working in the Scouting Legion, the doubts had risen more and more. Was it really for the peoples’ best interest to enforce another pointless law, while other, more powerful people put a slant on it? Was that really the justice Eren had been enforcing for so long?

She remembered when she was young, how she wanted to set the whole world on fire. Deep inside, a spark of that youthful recklessness was still inside her. Her younger ego still screamed at her to destroy everything that was in her way, but Eren had grown up, hadn't she? She was forced to realise that it wasn’t that easy all the time, not when she was forced to work with idiots like Nile Dok. Half the agency despised her, the media had torn her life apart, she was threatened by a street gang and her mother been nearly killed because of her. The city was still ruled by several criminals, and now the most powerful one of them had offered to fight with her. What was she supposed to do?

She had always wanted to make the right decision, regardless of how inconvenient it would be. But what was the right decision in this case? She remembered her father telling her that sometimes, the end justifies the means. She had used this phrase as a legitimation for her acts back when she killed Feulner and Ralph, justified it with saving other women from these pigs. Thinking back, Eren wondered why her parents had never said anything about her strange behaviour the weeks after the incident.

But could she trust Levi? Could she rely on him when it came to fighting their enemies? Because yes, the tables had turned. He was no longer an enemy to her anymore, she knew that he would not be able to harm her. As strange as it sounded, he had a good heart. And deep down Eren knew she couldn’t harm him either.

 _“The monster inside you will awaken again sometime or another if you keep ignoring it like you are. And next time, innocent people might pay the price.”_ She recalled Levi’s low, warning voice inside her mind, planting a tiny spark of fear into her.

Would she really sacrifice innocent people to get her revenge? She was a good person; Eren had no doubt about her own intentions. But she was also very well aware of her tendency to act impulsively and without rational thinking. Would she really hurt people with her plan for revenge? It was obviously not what she wanted, yet Eren couldn't fight the nagging feeling inside her. She had always wanted to something meaningful in this world, something that wasn't just for the sake of earning money. Something that made sense and caused change, whatever this change might have looked like. But not for the risk of harming the ones she wanted to protect.

Levi was right; sometimes her determination got the better of her and lead her to do reckless things, and this was not something she was proud of. On the other side, she was not ready to give up her plans on eliminating the Titans.

A strange feeling of peace overcame her, and all of sudden Eren was utterly calm. There was one possibility that provided the chance of protecting the weak without hurting other people. It had been obvious to her for hours, but now that she was about to decide on actually doing this, her rage shut down. She sat down on the edge of her bed, trying to think of anything that'd speak against this idea, but she wasn't able to come up with a solid reason. All the things she had considered against it seemed meaningless now, and Eren had to smile. The tension inside her slowly faded away, leaving her with a feeling of ease and strength. The decision had been made, and it felt like the weight of a hundred years fell from Eren's shoulders.

She laid back and was finally able to rest.

 

\---

 

Eren had only slept for a few hours, but she felt ready and refreshed as she woke up.

After her usual morning rituals she grabbed her phone and dialled one of the few numbers she knew by heart.

“Hello?”

As Eren heard the bright, friendly voice at the other end of the phone, immediately a warm feeling spread inside her.

“Hey, Armin? It's Eren”, she quickly replied. “Are you alone right now?”

There was a brief pause, and she could hear footsteps as well as the sound of a closing door before her friend answered.

“Yes, I'm in my bureau now. Why, is anything wrong? …with your mother?”

She could hear the concern in Armin's voice.

“No, the hospital will call me if anything changes, and so far nothing. No news is good news at this point,” she quickly reassured him. “Listen, I actually called about something else. I need a favour—“

“—of course”, Armin didn't even hesitated before he agreed. “You know I'll do anything for you. Even if it means burying a corpse,” he chuckled. There was another pause before she heard him gasp. “Wait, it’s not a corpse is it? Because I have no idea how to deal with that—“

Despite the tension she felt considering the upcoming events, Eren had to laugh. She could very well imagine the blue round eyes of her friend wide in shock. “No, don't worry, no dead people…” She laughed softly, hesitating before she added a quiet “…yet.”

Another little pause.

“Okay,” Armin eventually said, caution audible in his voice. “So, what is it?”

Eren took a deep breath. “First of all, this is strictly between me and you from here on out, got it? Not a word about this to anyone.”

An exasperated sigh was the answer. “Eren, I'm not dumb.”

“I know, I know,” she replied quickly, “It's just ... really important”

She felt the nervousness from before returning and began to pace up and down in her apartment.

“I know, Eren.” Armin assured her. “Just tell me.”

“Okay,” Eren took a big breath. “Can you please try to call my Dad and tell him what’s happened the last couple of days? I tried to reach him yesterday, but you know, he's still in this little village in Nigeria, and they have no signal there…“

Her Dad had been away from home for a long time now, traveling all over the world with a team of other doctors to provide poor regions with no infrastructure with medical care. Eren’s parents were still happily married, but most of the time Grisha wasn’t even on the same continent as his family, and Carla had accepted this fact. She had even accompanied him a few times as soon as Eren had been old enough to take care of herself. At the beginning it had felt hard for her to miss the presence of her father so often, but Eren understood his motives and was proud of him for actually helping other people and supporting them in their fight for medical support. But right now, he was stationed in a village where it was almost impossible to contact him, so every once in a while he made the effort to drive to the next town, making some phone calls and contacting his organization.

“Okay,” Armin answered slowly. “May I ask why you can’t do it yourself?”

Nervously, Eren bit her lip.

“Because I...” The words didn't want to come out of her throat, they were just too ridiculous. “Because I will be away for some time, I don't know how long it'll take,” she said slowly. “I’m going to the Wings of Freedom to fight the Titans alongside them.”

There it was. Hadn’t been that difficult, had it?

“You what?!” Armin sputtered out.

It was a rare thing for him to get surprised, since he was able to predict events all the time.

“Eren, what the hell happened while you were suspended?!”

“Um, it's…it's complicated,” She was well aware of how lame this sounded. “It's a long story and I don't want to tell you ever the phone, so you'll just get the short version for now. Levi offered me to come with them and eliminate the Titans together, and I kind of … went along with it.”

“Jesus Christ, Eren,” Armin murmured disbelievingly. “And you accepted his offer?”

She took a deep breath. “Not yet, I’m about to meet with him.”

“So you're ... collaborating with your enemies?” Armin tried. He still sounded sceptical.

“Somehow, they don't feel like enemies to me anymore...“, she trailed of, a hint of uncertainty in her voice, but then she cleared her throat and straightened her back. „But yes, I will run with them, for a certain time. After we beat the Titans I'll return and resume my job as an agent.”

“O- Okay,” Armin said, and Eren could still hear his weariness. “And what about Levi, will you continue hunting him afterwards?”

She gulped.

“I- I don't know. I'm not sure if I'm able to catch him anymore ...”

“I was afraid something like this would happen,” he let out a deep sigh. “And how do you plan on keeping your job? There will be questions if you just disappear now and come back in a few weeks.”

“I don't know yet.” Eren answered honestly. “I'll figure something out. That's why you'll tell the others that I just called you to talk about yesterday, okay? And in the evening, I’ll be gone, and you won’t know anything.”

For a brief second it was silent, and Eren could hear her own heart beating in her chest.

“All right,” Armin finally agreed, and she let out a sigh of relief.

“One more thing,” she quickly added. “Keep an eye on my mother? Tell her that I love her and that she doesn't have to worry when she wakes up. I'll try to contact you soon.”

“This is so crazy, Eren”, Armin whispered. “But yeah, I'll help you. If anyone is able to get away with something like this, it’s you.”

“Thank you, Armin.” She replied, whispering as well. “I love you. You're my best friend.”

He chuckled. “I know. And I'm the only one crazy enough to let you do this.” Armin’s voice became stern. “But for the love of God Eren, please be careful.”

“I will.”

 

\---

 

Knowing that Armin would take care of things relieved Eren quite a bit, and she found herself ready to take the next step. She had no idea where Levi was at the moment, but she figured that if she wandered around town she would sooner or later meet someone from the Wings of Freedom who'd be able to lead her to him. If not, she could still go to Wall Maria, Levi's nightclub that she had mixed memories of, and ask his staff to send him a message.

But none of that was necessary.

Eren stepped out into the bright morning light outside, smelling the scent of the first blooming flowers that competed with the stinking emissions of the city, looking at the blood red rising sun. The air still was pretty chilly, and Eren nuzzled deeper into her ruby coat. She was about to cross the street, as she got the feeling of being watched and looked around for the source.

“Hey Eren,” she heard a familiar gentle voice calling after her.

She spun around and spotted a tall slim figure leaning against a blue Honda across the street.

“Mikasa!” Eren exclaimed and ran to her.

The woman's lips formed into a soft smile as she detached herself from the car to pull Eren into a warm hug. The agent received the kind gesture happily.

“Good morning,” she murmured low as they parted.

Quickly she looked around if they were being watched.

“Can you bring me to Levi?”

Mikasa nodded and unlocked the car.

“Of course,” she replied. “Get in.”

 

\---

 

They arrived half an hour later at the same mansion Eren had been at only two days ago. The entrance was heavily guarded like last time, but today Eren was not dragged away by two overly eager Mafiosi. This time the guards parted reverently when they saw both women approaching. One guy near the door hurried to open it wide open for them.

Mikasa plainly ignored all of the people lingering in the halls, though every one of them made sure to greet her with a regardful nod or even a bow. The criminals eyed Eren curiously, but nobody dared to say a word when they strutted past them.

Mikasa went straight to an impressive double winged door and knocked one time before she pushed it open.

“Levi,” she didn't bother greeting him politely, but knowing Levi, Eren assumed that he didn’t care anyway. ‘We're here.”

Eren followed Mikasa into the room and was greeted with the sight of a big, luxurious office, similar to the one she had entered back then when she met the mafia boss for the first time. Between then and now had been only mere months, but for Eren it felt like an eternity. Especially with the way she was now standing in the office of the crime lord, as if this was a matter of course.

Levi, dressed in a sharp, but more casual looking suit, rose from his desk and crossed the room.

“Thanks, Mikasa,” he said smoothly and nodded towards his sister. “Now go and supervise the preparations.”

Mikasa gave a quick bow to him and a reassuring smile towards Eren before she turned around and left the office, quietly closing the door. Levi turned back to Eren and gestured to the sitting area across the wall. A big red couch and two comfortable looking cushioned chairs were situated around a small, dark wooden table.

“Eren,” his voice was low and as velvety as ever, nevertheless there was an undertone in it that she wasn't able to decipher. “Please, have a seat.”

He strode over to the couch and plopped himself down. Eren hesitated for just a moment, before she followed him and settled down on the chair across from him. An intense tension filled the air, and they eyed each other wordlessly for a few seconds, before Levi decided to break the silence.

“It's good that you're here so early,” he started with that unsettling poker face of his. “How are you today?”

Eren tried to ignore the dreadful knot growing inside her stomach. If she had doubts about her intention, it was too late now anyway.

“Better,” she replied plainly. “Thanks.”

He scanned her face as if confirming if her statement was the truth. Apparently he was satisfied with her answer, because he nodded and relaxed in his seat.

“I assume you considered my offer?”

Like always, Levi was not one to beat around the bush.

“I did,” Eren began, chewing her lower lip hesitantly. As she looked up again and caught Levi staring, she quickly straightened her back and put on her usual professional aura. “But if we're going to work together, I have conditions too.”

“Oh?” Levi tilted his head in curiosity. “I'm all ears.”

He looked like a damn feline, watching a mouse he was about to devour. Eren cleared her throat.

“Okay, first of all, this is a temporary arrangement, like you said. After we finish the Titans, I'll be an agent again“, she said firmly. “And nobody's ever to come to know of our arrangement, am I clear?”

“Crystal,” Levi's expression didn't waver.

“Secondly,” Eren continued. “I'm not one of your subordinates, so you will not boss me around. We are on equal ground.”

“Wouldn’t have it any other way.” Levi said low, and somehow his tone made Eren swallow hard. „These all sound reasonable—“

“I'm not finished yet,” she interrupted him. “My last and most important condition; there will be no flirting, no teasing,” she narrowed her eyes at him, “and _no kissing_. And if I ever overhear your people suggesting us fucking again, I'll kick them in the face.”

She leaned back and crossed her arms, waiting for him to react.

“Are you serious?” He cocked his brow disbelievingly at her. His whole expression radiated disapproval.

“Deadly serious.” Eren said bluntly. “This is an entirely professional arrangement, got that?”

“But Eren—“

"But what? Did you just bring me here 'cause you hoped to get a nice little fuck?” she asked sharply. “In that case, I'd rather work on my own.”

_And kick your ass, that’s for sure._

Levi's disapproving frown turned into a grumpy scowl.

“No, that's not what I meant,” he growled low, and Eren wondered why he suddenly looked so utterly pissed.

She had no explanation on why he would get so offended just because she didn't plan on fucking him. There were dozens of people, men and women, which he had to choose from and could have in his bed in an instant. Her puzzled face caused him to rethink his expression and he cleared his throat.

“I mean, do you really want to prevent such a thing?” Levi asked, the usual poker face back on his features. Eren rolled her eyes and wanted to retort, but he already continued. “I'm just sayin', maybe it would ease a lot of tension between us. We'd be able to concentrate better on the task.” he added slyly.

Eren gritted her teeth.

“There is no such tension between us,” she lied.

Levi watched her attentively, his eyes flickering to the shells of her ears, and Eren made sure to quickly cover them with a few bangs of her hair. She could already feel the heat of how red they were.

“Oh, well, if you insist.” Levi hummed low, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes, and Eren silently wondered if she had made a mistake.

A really bad, big mistake.

“I'll accept your conditions then, Agent Yeager. You'll be a temporary, coequal, _non-fuckable_ part of our team,” he drawled and extended his hand for her to shake it in acceptance. “Welcome to the Wings of Freedom.”

Eren took the offered hand and shook it slowly. His grip was firm and warm, and she didn't know if it was for the intense look in his eyes or the electrifying feeling, but she suddenly felt excitement rushing through her veins.

“I feel like I just sold my soul to the devil,” she murmured once they parted and leaned back in their seats again.

Levi let out an amused, dark little chuckle.

“Maybe you did,” was all he said.

Eren suppressed a shudder at the things his deep, velvety voice did to her, and tried to act professional instead.

“So, what's the plan now?” she asked, crossing her arms.

“Well, it's convenient you're here on time. We're going to go on a little trip for a few days.” Levi explained, enjoying the way Eren's eyes lit up at his words. “The Titans are trying to establish a new base in Trost, so we're going to pay them a nice little visit.”

“You're travelling there yourself? I thought one of the perks of being a mafia leader would be that you can leave the dirty work to your subordinates,” Eren said, a bit surprised, but not averse. She loved to travel around, and if that meant damage to the work of one of her deadly enemies, even better.

“That wouldn't be half the fun now, would it? Besides, I have a few people there I'd like to meet in Trost, so I'll just combine business with pleasure.” Levi replied and whipped out his mobile phone. “It's all prepared, we're going to head to Shiganshina Airport in half an hour.” He quickly typed in a few things before he put it away and turned his full attention to Eren again. “We'll be using false identities for travelling. You'll get your new passport soon.”

“O-Okay...” Eren said slowly. “But doesn't it take time to create a false identity with a new passport and all that shit? Who even does this in half an hour?”

Levi just shrugged his shoulders.

“Like I said, it's all prepared. Hanji's on her way to hand you the documents.”

Eren eyed him dubiously.

“So you're telling me you planned this all along and already provided all of my documents, even before I said I'd agree?” she asked.

Levi's lips tugging into a smirk was response enough.

“Of course you did,” she sighed exasperated, and Levi's smirk grew wider. By now she just had gotten used to Levi anticipating every step she'd make. Eren had no idea how this happened, but he just knew her too damn well.

“Another thing,” he said composed. “Do you have spare clothing with you?”

Sheepishly, Eren scratched the back of her neck. She really could have thought about that one.

“Eh, no. Didn't think that far, I guess.” she replied.

“Figured.” Levi replied unfazed, ignoring the angry glare he received in return.

“Well, I'll send Nifa and Nanaba to get some of your clothes, if that's okay with you. They'll be joining us later anyway.” He hesitated. “And while they're at it, they can also fuck up your apartment a bit.”

“Huh?” Eren uttered, uncrossing her arms in surprise.

“Okay, maybe they won't have to do much since it's already messy as hell—“

“ _Excuse me_?”

Eren struggled to keep her voice low, but that didn't stop her from glaring daggers at him. Did he have any idea how much time she spent cleaning her apartment two days ago? Okay, maybe it hadn't been _that_ much time, but nevertheless his statement was very much uncalled for.

Levi did his best to hide his amused smile while he continued.

“We'll make it look like I kidnapped you. The media will swallow it after this ridiculous bullshit story of our so-called love affair.” He continued explaining and watched delighted how Eren's cheeks blushed at the mention of that. “They'll think I finally snapped and tied you down in my dungeon or some shit like that.”

His face remained stoic as usual, but the fact that his eyes flashed in a dangerous way at those words caused Eren to swallow hard. The story sounded a little too convincing for her taste.

“And after we take out the Titans you'll escape from us and return to the Scouting Legion.” Levi said. “And everybody's happy.”

The last words came out strained, and Eren briefly wondered why.

“Sounds...sounds good.” She said, for lack of a better response. “Yeah.”

An awkward silence settled between them, but fortunately a knock at the door interrupted it. Not even a second later an overly eager Hanji burst into the room.

“Leeevi, my darling, everything's ready—“ she sang, but came to an halt as she saw her former colleague sitting in Levi's office.

“Eren!” Hanji exclaimed and jumped her to hug her tightly. “I knew you wouldn't pass up the chance of beating the shit out of those damn Titans,” she laughed and ruffled Eren's hair.

Levi glared at Hanji, but only got a wide grin together with a wink in response. Eren freed herself from the hug to smile gently at her.

“Hey Hanji,” she greeted and patted her hair back in form. “Thanks for taking care of my car the other day...”

Eren wanted to speak further, but the memories of what had followed after that choked her up.

“Well, it didn't last long, did it…” Hanji replied in a soft tone, a sad and sympathetic smile on her lips. “Any news about your mother?"

Eren shook her head. “No, she's still unconscious. I feel bad for leaving her in a situation like this.”

“We can post a few guards in the hospital to keep an eye on your mother.” Levi had gone over to one of his cabinets to leave the two women some space, but now he had spoken up again. “I don't think that the Titans will try another move once you vanished, but just to be sure. And this way my people can tell her that you're somewhere safe when she wakes up.”

He grabbed a short dark coat and a matching black hat from the wardrobe.

“Thanks. That would be great.” Eren said, again surprised by his care. “You really did think of everything, didn’t you?”

She tilted her head as she watched him.

“Almost,” Levi pressed out between gritted teeth and put on the jacket, before he gestured for them to follow him to the door.

 

\---

 

The drive to Shiganshina airport was really quick, with Levi's elite squad blabbering excitedly in anticipation of their trip. Eren was trapped in the luxurious limousine between Mikasa and a nonstop snickering Hanji. Between light-hearted chattering and bits of commentary Eren was handed her new personal documents.

“Eva Miller,” she read out loud as she eyed passport.

“Eva is a nice name, isn't it?” Hanji asked, for whatever reason a sly grin on her face. “And Miller suits you, I guess.”

Eren had no idea what she was talking about, so she just shrugged.

“Yeah, whatever.”

Mikasa whipped out her phone to check the time before she spoke up.

“We'll be separating in teams of two for checking in.” she explained to Eren. “This way we will attract less attention. Hanji and Eld will be the first ones to go, and since it's most important to protect you and Levi, both of you will follow shortly after together. Günther and I will be directly behind you, and Petra and Oluo will bring up the rear.”

Eren's gaze flickered towards Levi, but he seemed to be far away with his thoughts, not even listening to the conversation. Eren let her eyes wander over his chiselled features, taking in his slightly furrowed brows and heavy bags under his eyes, indicating a lack of sleep last night as well. His squad might be giddy and excited for the trip to Trost, but Eren assumed Levi was tense and worried about it. But despite his tired expression, he looked sharp and handsome as ever. His dark locks shone silky and soft and Eren's fingers twitched at the urge to reach out and touch it.

“—don't think it'll be a problem,” Mikasa's voice get through to her. “Hey Eren, are you even listening?”

It was only then when she noticed that she was in fact not listening, drifting off and staring at Levi in awe instead.

“Eh, of course!” Eren hurried to say. “But, um... could you repeat what you just said anyway?”

Mikasa glanced at her, the amused smile on her lips barely suppressed.

“Sorry,” Eren muttered and did her best to hide the blush on her cheeks.

“Never mind,” Mikasa helped out smoothly. “You must be tired after everything that’s happened lately.”

“Y-yeah.” she replied, once again thankful for Mikasa not making a big deal out of what she just witnessed.

 

They arrived at the airport shortly after that, and as discussed, Hanji and Eld were the first ones to enter the big glass building. Levi and Eren waited a few minutes before they stepped out of the car as well and followed them into the foyer.

As they walked towards the check-in counter, Eren watched the frantically hurrying people around them and listened to the smooth announcements through the speakers. She always enjoyed the living and busy atmosphere of airports, and the idea to be able to fly everywhere in the world where she wanted excited her time and time again.

Levi meanwhile had already exchanged some last details with Nifa via phone, making sure they knew what to do when they would be in Eren's apartment. He tugged the phone away and turned to Eren, who still was watching her surroundings in awe. He loved how her eyes had been sparkling since the moment he had announced they would go on a trip, and he still wasn't able to tear his gaze from her teal, intense orbs. Everything about her was so damn appealing, and Levi sometimes couldn't even wrap his mind around how smitten he was by her every action. Even though in his office, where she had accused him for only wanting to fuck her— like, really Eren? Hadn't he been obvious enough already with all this traditional wooing shit?—yes, even then he couldn't find it in him to be mad at her.

Levi sighed as he aimed for the check-in-counter, Eren at his side. She had him wrapped around her little finger without even knowing it, and Levi was not sure of how much of her stubborn obliviousness he could take anymore. But the feeling of warmth that spread inside him as they walked towards the separate first-class check-in area, side by side, _like a real goddamn couple_ , told him that he'd give it all if that just meant he could be with Eren.

The buzzing of his phone in his pocket tore Levi out of his thoughts, and he gestured for Eren to already start checking in while he stepped aside and answered the call. Hanji was on the other end, informing him that everything went smoothly and she just remembered they ran out of her favorite whiskey for the meeting this evening, but in reality Levi knew that this was just an excuse to pester him about the talk with Eren from before. He glanced towards the woman who was already preoccupied with checking in, and Levi made a mental note to use the computer self check-in next time as he saw the bright smile the boy behind the counter sent towards _his_ Eren.

Levi furrowed his brows as he replied to the blabbering Hanji in short sentences, but somehow the scientist made him promise to tell him every detail about the conditions of Eren's cooperation and the status of their relationship. He sighed annoyed. This was going to be a long day.

Meanwhile, Eren stepped to the desk and smiled at the blond employee behind it. He had a cute nose and sparkling eyes, and although he seemed to be a bit young to smile at Eren in such a charming manner, she was oddly amused.

“Good morning, Miss,” he greeted happily. “How can I help you?”

“I'd like to check in for the flight to Trost,” she replied in a friendly tone.

“Alright, your passport and boarding card please.” The guy said and took the ticket she offered him. “You are lucky to travel there this time of the year, the weather is wonderful and there are many festivities outside.”

“I'm not sure if I have the time to participate in tourist activities,” Eren replied slowly.

“Oh, but you should!” He beamed at her. “There's nothing better than drinking beer on the shore and listening to some of the live concerts there.”

“Hm, that does sound nice…” His happiness was contiguous, and Eren found herself grinning at him as well. “Are you from there?”

“I am, Miss. And please take my advice when I say’ don't fall for the cheap trick of the annual pumpkinseed-festival for tourists. It's exactly as exciting as it sounds.” The guy let out a dramatic sigh. “Last year they hired DJ Bonsai to get the audience of old people fired up.”

Eren couldn't help but laugh at his disgusted face.

“Sounds awful,” she snickered.

“It was,” he nodded and pointed the pen in his hands at her in a serious manner. “If you want to listen to awesome music, there's this pub called ‘Tir nan 'Og’ at the end of the harbour, they have quality music and the best beer in town.”

The prospect of music and beer sounded inviting, and Eren's grin widened.

“If I have time to go there, I'll try it,” she assured him.

“Oh, but it's a shame to go there alone,” the guy winked at her.

“Good thing she's not alone then,” a cold voice said behind her.

The guy froze as he looked behind Eren, and she could not blame him for that. Levi had stepped up next to her, slipping an arm around her waist possessively, and sent the poor boy behind the counter the death glare he was famous for.

“Sorry it took me so long, sweetheart,” he said to Eren who fought the urge to roll her eyes. “You know how much four-eyes can talk.”

Turning to the still completely paralyzed guy he whipped out his ticket and fake passport and tossed it on the counter.

“If you're done chit-chatting here, I'd like to check in.” Levi said coldly and stared the blond down.

“O-of course, sir.” the addressed replied nervously. “I'm sorry for the delay.”

Eren didn't comment on the fact that Levi was the one who caused the delay, instead she sent him an annoyed glare. Levi returned the look unimpressed and didn't withdraw his arm.

“Here you go, sir,” the employee handed him his papers back a few moments later, before he turned to Eren to do the same. “Ma'am, I wish you a nice journey.”

Eren thanked him, sending him her brightest smile. Slightly blushing, the guy also smiled faintly at her. Levi clicked his tongue in annoyance and the boy's face immediately fell.

“What the fuck was that?” Eren snapped at him after they walked out of ear shot.

Levi glanced at her with furrowed brows, still with a pissed off look on his face.

“I was just about to ask you the same damn thing.”

He reluctantly let go of Eren's waist and shoved his hands into the pockets of his dark coat instead. Eren laughed bitterly.

“Me?”

“You're not supposed to flirt with the check-in-boy.” Levi growled, speeding up his steps.

For someone with such short legs, he sure was fast. Eren rolled her eyes.

“With whom I flirt or do not flirt is none of your fucking business!” she snapped.

“It is when it affects the Wings of Freedom,” Levi objected grumpily. “We're supposed to act as inconspicuously as possible, nobody is supposed to remember us as soon as we're out of the field of their view.” He shot her a pissed look. “Yet this guy will remember you and your smile for the rest of the day, because you had to give into his poor attempt at flirting.”

Eren shook her head in disbelief. Levi speaking about _poor attempts at flirting_ sure was something.

“Despite the fact that what you've just said was utter bullshit,” she sent him a stern look. “I didn't even flirt with him. I just was being friendly and smiled.” She decided to tease him a bit more. He deserved it after that childish behaviour just now. “I smile at people a lot. You know, that's a widly-spread habit in human communication. You should try it one day.”

Levi huffed in response.

“You never smile at me,” he muttered under his breath, not looking up.

“You never gave me a reason to do so.” Eren responded unperturbed.

Levi had stopped for a brief moment and glanced up at her in surprise.

“You can be really mean, you know that?” he asked with furrowed brows. “After all I've done for you.”

“Pfff.” Eren exhaled air through her nose. “You are incredible. Kidnapping people, harassing them and forcing presents onto them is not considered a nice thing, did you know that?”

Instead of feeling insulted, Levi perked up with a dangerous, wolfish glint in his eyes.

Eren groaned inwardly; she was sure he was up to something she would find rather annoying.

“Oh right, I almost forgot.”

He smirked and reached into his pockets. He fished something out and grabbed her hand gently. Before Eren knew what happened, Levi had already slipped a plain silver ring on her ring finger.

“There. Now everything’s in place.” he nodded satisfied to himself and let go of her.

“What—“ Eren murmured, staring baffled at the jewelry on her right hand.

There even was a twinkling, deep grey stone cased in it. Baffled she looked up, just to see that Levi had already walked ahead towards the security check.

“Wait!” she exclaimed and hurried to catch up with him. “What is this?”

Levi turned around to her and pulled out his own right hand, waving it in front of her eyes. Surprised she noticed that he had a silver ring on his finger as well.

“Matching insect repellent.” he explained unnecessarily, a smug smile on his lips. “We're in our own special club now, just the two of us.”

Eren's gaped like a fish.

“ _Wedding rings?_ ” she asked incredulously.

“Uh-huh,” Levi confirmed and sauntered further, as if nothing had ever happened.

He needed to turn his face away from her, otherwise she would have seen how much he tried to suppress his laughter. Her puzzled expression was just too good, and they weren't even finished yet. Eren sure would flare up in three, two, one—

“What the fuck is this?!“ she snapped angrily.

“Calm down, it's just for the purpose of disguise, _Mrs. Miller_ ,” he emphasized the name in a sickening sweet manner.

Oh, how her eyes glared with anger! Levi congratulated himself for this brilliant idea. The sight of Eren glaring at him was just too good.

“Everybody has to team up and pretend to be married. This way we'll gain way less attention,” he added in a brief explanation.

“What a convenient strategy,” Eren gritted her teeth. “But I thought I made myself clear with my conditions!”

“Hm?” Levi cocked a brow and pretended to be confused. “I don't see how an entirely professional fictitious marriage should affect our contract, Eren. None of your conditions are hurt here. Besides, the teams were paired up before you even came to my office by Hanji. I had no say in this.”

That was a total lie, but with his unfazed expression Levi hoped Eren would buy it. He could see her brows twitching in frustration, so he decided it was enough teasing for now.

“Next time you're free to pair up with Mikasa or Eld or whoever you like, but right now we're happily married together,” he explained and checked the time on his phone.

They still had plenty of time before the airplane would take off.

Eren groaned, defeated, and followed him, glancing at the big intimidating security guy that gestured to Levi to step forwards. Both men shared a meaningful, quick gaze and Eren realised that they probably knew each other and that Levi would not have the slightest problem of making it through the security check.

 _Corruption all the way_ , Eren thought bitterly as she followed the wave of an older security lady.

The woman glanced at Levi and waited for his approving nod, and five seconds later both Levi and Eren were finished with the check and waved through in a disturbingly fast manner. Eren groaned inwardly, shook her head and strolled over to Levi, who was already waiting for her. Oluo and Petra were nearby, having no problems passing the check as well.

“This is fucking incredible,” Eren muttered as she and Levi went towards the board to check which gate they had to go to.

“What is?” Levi murmured absent-mindedly as he read the board.

“How much did you have to pay them for completely ignoring all the safety rules?” she asked sharply and nodded towards the security staff. “We could have carried fucking bazookas with us and they wouldn't have cared.”

“Oh, that.” Levi said and turned his attention back to Eren. “I didn't pay them. I just helped the uncle of the tall one defending his little grocery shop against some street gangs Downtown. The police didn't do anything against it, so they came to me and asked for protection. One hand washes the other.”

“Fucking great.” Eren groaned at the explanation. “And now you can fly criss cross around the world without getting checked properly?”

This extent of criminality normally was something she couldn't deal with, but since she was in the same boat as Levi and the rest of the mafia, Eren had no choice but to ignore the nagging feeling in her stomach and go with it. Levi shrugged.

“Yeah, it's not that big of a deal,” he said. “It's actually very common.”

“...Common?” Eren repeated horrified.

She had been aware of the corruption of her beloved island, but somehow it was more than she had expected. Levi just nodded.

“We still have plenty of time till boarding,” he quickly changed the topic. “And I could use a cup of coffee. Let's sit down at the cafe over there.”

“Not the VIP-lounge?” Eren mocked, but followed him nonetheless.

They entered the half-empty cafe, air filled with the scent of fresh coffee and a calming classical music. The walls were painted with a chocolate brown colour, and pictures of coffee beans and cupcakes promised a cosy and relaxing stay.

“Hell no, that’d be too much attention,” Levi muttered and took off his coat.

Automatically they both aimed for a clean table in the corner far away from the entrance, cream white cushioned chairs looking inviting and comfortable. Two business men wanted to sit down there as well, but at Levi's menacing glare they hurried away and sat down at a less clean table across the dining room.

“I'm going to grab some coffee,” he informed Eren after he put his jacket on the chair. Eren, who already had sat down, nodded briefly and Levi already disappeared towards the bar in the front.

Eren let her gaze wander around while waiting, taking in the huge amount of people heading toward their gates outside of the cafe. A familiar couple sat down two tables ahead, and Eren had to restrain herself from waving to Mikasa's as the woman glanced toward her. Günther scanned the area as well, furrowing his brows slightly at the absence of his boss, but at the relaxed face of Eren he must have figured that everything was alright. For a short moment the gazes of the three accomplices met, but they kept the facade of not knowing each other, and Günther leaned back in his chair and started chatting with Mikasa in deep, calm words that Eren couldn't understand.

A few minutes later Levi returned to their table, two cups of steaming coffee in his hands and two dark shopping bags with golden applications hanging around his wrist. He sat down, handing Eren one of the cups while sipping the other, and searched through one of the bags.

“I thought you'd be the tea-type,” Eren commented as she watched him.

Levi looked up, cocking a brow at her.

“It's written down in your file,” she murmured defensively.

“Who even researches that shit?” Levi asked amused, but Eren just shrugged her shoulders.

“What's this?” she asked instead, pointing towards the bags next to Levi. „Did the barista here also sell duty-free stuff?”

“I saw the jeweller outside and was reminded that Eld needs a new watch, so I bought a new one for him,” Levi explained casually. “Also Hanji wants to get shit-faced tonight, so I bought her favourite whiskey.”

“Your subordinates need a watch and want to get drunk, so you just buy them stuff?” Eren asked thoughtfully.

Levi shrugged in response.

“I like to spoil the people I care for.” The intense look he sent her caused her heart to beat faster, and Eren cursed inwardly as she frowned at him.

“Don't be jealous,” Levi purred and pulled out a smaller paper bag out. “I bought something for you too.” he tossed the brown bag towards Eren.

Her frown deepened.

“Don't do this shit, it's really creepy—“ she said, furrowing her brows.

“But isn’t this the way it’s supposed to go?” Levi tilted his head and watched her attentively. “You buy a meal for the one you like.”

Blood rushed to her cheeks, and Eren blinked at him for a few seconds before she found the will to hiss at him.

“Levi, I said no flirting!”

“But that wasn’t flirting,” he replied with furrowed brows, seemingly confused. “That was the truth.”

Eren felt her whole body get hot from embarrassment, and she had to force herself to not fidget around nervously. Instead she snatched the bag and opened it. She wanted to snap at him and refuse the gift, but as she threw a glance inside—

“A cherry-chocolate muffin!” Eren exclaimed, surprised.

There was no way she could act grumpy at this one, these muffins were her all-time favourite sweets, and her stomach began to growl excitedly at the view. Levi chuckled.

“Still creepy?” he asked and leaned his head in one hand.

“Still creepy,” Eren replied, but took a generous bite. “Thanks though.”

Levi just nodded and remained silent.

The chocolate melted on her tongue, the taste of sugar and dough spread in her mouth and tingled her taste buds, and Eren couldn't suppress the satisfied moan that made its way through her throat. Levi stared at her for some seconds before he went on watching the people in their surroundings.

“It's because the black tea here tastes like piss,” he said out of the blue.

“Huh? What?” Eren perked up and licked a small piece of cherry from her thumb.

Levi’s eyes flickered from her lips to her finger, before he shifted his gaze back to her.

“I really do prefer tea,” Levi explained, as if they never had finished the topic. “But it tastes so unbearable shitty at this airport that I always settle for the coffee. It's not brilliant either, but I don't have to deal with the disappointment of choking down bitter, lukewarm water instead of actual black tea.”

“Oh,” Eren really didn't know what to say at this. “I see.”

She finished the last crumbs of chocolate before she looked up at him again.

“Levi,”

“Hm?” he asked, staring somewhere outside of the cafe, seemingly far away with his own thoughts. Eren took a deep breath.

“Now that we are … accomplices—“ Just the sound of that word alone was ridiculous. “You should tell me all that you know about the Titans.”

“Oh. I guess I should, yes.” he turned his attention back to Eren. “So, what do you know already?”

“Not much. Like I said before, I didn't have access to the case.” she replied, shrugging her shoulders. Levi nodded.

“We should find out why it’s such a secret later,” he murmured thoughtfully, before a sly smile crept on his lips. “Okay, I'll tell you all I know. However, in return you'll also have to reveal some information.”

“And what kind of information would that be?” She crossed her arms and eyed him cautiously.

Levi stared at her unblinking.

“About you.”

“What?!” she sputtered out.

Levi shrugged, as if it was nothing.

“It's like 21 questions, except with Titans.”

Eren rolled her eyes.

“You sure have some odd hobbies.”

“Whatever.” he stated unfazed. “Now, do we have a deal?”

“…Fine.” Eren lifted her hands in defeat. “But no inappropriate ones.”

“Deal. Nothing inappropriate.” Levi agreed “Okay, where do I start? The Titans have existed for about ten years now. Their leader is a strange old man who tends to hide from the public eye.”

“Strange old man?” Eren furrowed her brows while she repeated his words slowly. Again, Levi nodded.

“He’s a smug bastard with a big mouth and an awful sense of humour,” he explained further.

Eren couldn't help but snort.

“Sounds familiar...” she muttered under her breath while she picked up her coffee.

“What?” Levi asked sharply, narrowing his eyes, and received a grin from her.

“Nothing,” she drawled of. “Anyway, what's the name of this man?”

“Kenny Ackerman.”

“ _Ackerman_?! As in Mikasa Ackerman?” Eren asked disbelieving, forgetting the coffee in her hands and hovering it mid-air. “As in Captain Ackerman?”

Now it was Levi's turn to look surprised.

“You know about him?” he asked warily.

“Mikasa told me one thing or another,” Eren murmured, remembering the coffee in her hands and taking a sip. For a second Levi eyed her appraisingly, before he replied.

“Yes, Kenny is the shit-stained old fuckwad that tried to raise Mikasa and I.”

“Oh.” Eren just said, still busy processing this information.

“Alright, it’s my turn,” Levi suddenly said after watching her for a few moments. He propped himself on his elbows and leaned forward. “What's the last thing you think of before you fall asleep?”

Taken aback, Eren stared at him with wide eyes. Images of the half-naked body of a certain man crossed her mind, big wings reaching over a muscular back, a single drop of sweat dripping down a chiselled chest—

“I- I said no inappropriate ones!” Eren finally said, a blush creeping on her cheeks.

Levi's lips tugged into a smirk.

“Oh, so that's what you're thinking about. Sorry, I had no idea. I'll pick another one, then.” He replied smugly, before he thought about his next question after a few moments. “What is your favourite cleaning product?”

“Fucking _what_?”

Eren was sure she must have misunderstood him. But Levi just tilted his head, glancing at her with a concentrated frown.

“What? Is that also too personal?” he asked, genuinely confused.

Eren blinked a few times.

“No,” she answered eventually, still bewildered. “I just don't have something like a favourite cleaning product.”

“Really?” Levi asked, brows knitting together even more in confusion. “That's odd. How do you decide what to buy then?”

Eren still couldn't believe what they were talking about.

“I just pick the cheapest one?”

His eyes widened in disbelief at these words, as if _she_ was the crazy one here.

“We clearly live in different worlds...” he murmured, shaking his head slightly.

Eren decided it was time to change the topic to more important things again.

“What do you think the titans have planned?” she asked, trying to act as professional as possible after the previous odd exchange of words.

Levi's attention immediately turned back to their problem.

“We're not sure,” he began. “We assume that they are experimenting on something entirely crazy. And I mean not like Hanji-crazy, but batshit insane. Last month they robbed a chemical laboratory and took some chemical products with them. Hanji had a look on the list and said it'd be a disturbing development.”

Eren swallowed. That indeed didn't sound very good.

“What does she think they'll do with them?” she asked, slightly afraid of the answer.

But of course, Levi didn't plan on playing nicely.

“Uh-oh, not two questions in a row.” he purred, and from the look on his face he definitely knew what his voice did to her when he spoke like that. “It's my turn again.”

Eren sighed annoyed and rolled her eyes, motioning for him to go on.

“Do you prefer cats or dogs?“

There they went again with his odd questions. Nevertheless, she gave herself time to think about it before she answered.

“Cats are cool, but I think I like dogs more.” she replied honestly. “They're reliable and worship the ground you're walking on. Cats seem to be always angry and hissy and if you touch them the wrong way one time, they'll claw you and they’ll fuck you up for the rest of your life.”

Eren underlined her words by clenching her fist into an imaginary paw and gesturing wildly with it, causing Levi to choke on his drink.

_Oh god, she is way too adorable._

“Huh, interesting.” Levi said after a few coughs “I'm more into cats.”

There was something in his voice telling her that there was more to it, and Eren tilted her head in confusion. But before she could think of the possible hidden meaning behind his words, his mobile phone started to vibrate.

He put his cup down and took the phone in his hands instead.

“Oh, they'll start boarding soon.” he explained as he read the text message from Petra. “We should head to the gate.”

Eren sighed and gulped the last sip of her coffee down.

“Okay, let's go.” she said and stood up.

 

They quickly made their way to the gate and arrived there not even five minutes later. The airport was crowded, people still rushing hurriedly to their assigned gates, but with Levi's gloomy aura around them nobody dared to get in their way.

Mikasa and Eld were close behind them, and soon they spotted Hanji and Günther as well as Petra and Oluo. The group stood close together, Oluo whispering agitated, not noticing Levi and Eren approaching them casually from behind.

“I'm just sayin'” he drawled, trying to imitate Levi's unfazed tone but failing completely. “It's unfair! I'm the only one on our team that hadn't had the honour yet to pair up with the boss, and then this brat comes to our team and gets the big privilege to play his wife.”

Petra stiffled a giggle as she saw Eren standing behind the man with an unfazed frown on her face.

“I bet I’d be a way better match for the boss—“

“No offense, idiot, but you'd be a shitty bride,” Eren hissed into Oluo’s ear from behind, watching satisfied how the man flinched. “Bitching around and whining is not very attractive, no wonder he didn’t want you.”

“You fucking—“ he whipped around, face red from anger and embarrassment, but before he could snarl back he already bit his tongue.

Despite his painful whine nobody cared for that, and Levi was already slipping past the group and mentioned them to board.

“Stop fighting, kiddos,” he smirked smugly. “There's enough Levi to go around.”

Eren rolled her eyes as she followed him, puffing out a breath of air in annoyance, but behind her she could hear Günther's deep voice.

“Oluo, are you blushing?”

“I'm _not_!”

Eren suppressed a giggle as she stepped towards the service employee and showed her the ticket as well as her fake passport. The lady in the blue uniform nodded, wished her a good flight and motioned for her to pass.

Levi had waited for Eren behind the counter, jacket casually slung above his shoulder, and wordlessly began to walk through the long metallic tube to get to the airplane once she was by his side again. Eren made sure that no one was near them to hear her next words, and spoke lowly.

“We can still switch. If you're not married to your little fanboy over there once, he will be pissed at you.” she thought about it and added quickly. “And maybe strangle me in my sleep.”

Levi chuckled, but rolled his eyes nevertheless.

“Oh he sure is a fucking idiot,” he replied, voice equally low. “I made sure to set him up with Petra so that he would have the chance to show how much of a kind caring husband he can be.”

Eren lifted a brow as she looked over at Levi.

“He has a crush on Petra?” she asked slowly.

“Bigass crush.” Levi confirmed casually.

“And you set them up.”

It was a statement, not a question. Levi nodded in response.

“So you did have an impact on the team-pairings after all!” Eren glared at him angrily.

“Shit,” the word slipped his lips before he could stop it. “Okay you caught me. You weren't supposed to know that.” Levi muttered, scratching his neck.

Eren shook her head, not able to find the proper words to scold him about this.

“You're a huge fucking dork sometimes, do you know that?” she sighed exasperated.

“Hey,” Levi turned to her, a slightly offended tone in his voice. “I'm a big crime lord, feared all over the world—“

“Yeah, whatever.” Eren brushed him off. “Say, big crime lord, you didn't tell me all you know about the Titans.”

“Don't worry, we'll talk about all these things again in the briefing this evening.” Levi murmured after two business men passed them and rushed to the entrance of the plane, which now came in sight.

It lasted a few seconds before Eren processed what he had said, and she stopped dead in her tracks.

“Briefing?” she repeated bewildered. “So this whole question-and-answer-thingy just now was useless?”

“I wouldn't say it was useless,” he weighed his words. Levi hadn't stopped, he was still sauntering down the hall with swinging hips, as if this was a damn catwalk. “ _I_ had a lot of fun.”

Eren groaned annoyed and tried her best to get not distracted by the way his pants showed off his ass in an amazing way.

“Levi.” she hissed and hurried after him.

“Hm?”

“I want a divorce.”

“Anything what you want, my love.” he chuckled in front of her. “But after the flight.”

“Oh I really can't wait.” Eren grumbled.

Another low chuckle came from him, and suddenly he half-way turned around to her with a sly glint in his eyes.

“And don't think I wouldn't notice how you were staring at my ass. The windows are mirrored, you know that?”

Eren's eyes widened in horror and her gaze flickered to the windows that did in fact show their reflection. Noticing her own clouded, telltale gaze, she quickly looked back at Levi whose smirk widened.

“If you a wanted piece of this—“ Levi purred and had the audacity to tap his ass. “You shouldn't have set up those rules.”

Eren gritted her teeth, letting out a a growl as she quickened her pace and passed him. This way she wasn’t tempted to stare at his appealing backside again, but still she could hear his dark laughter behind her.

_Bastard._

Eren reached the entrance, once again showing off her ticket, and was greeted by a friendly looking blond stewardess in a deep blue uniform.

“Excuse me, Ma’am. Is everything alright?” The lady asked concerned, scanning Eren's reddened cheeks and deep furrowed brows. “You look a bit distressed.”

“Yeah, everything's—“ Eren answered automatically, but then thought otherwise. “Actually, no. Nothing is fine. My _husband_ over there is a dickhead.”

Discreetly she pointed with her thump towards Levi, who still was grinning at her smugly.

“Oh,” the stewardess said simply, apparently baffled by her blunt words.

Eren leaned forward, causing the woman to mirror her motions, and lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper.

“He just told me I'd look fat in my new evening dress, you know,” she lied without even blinking. “And then he said it would look better on him than me.”

The stewardess' eyes went wide, mouth hanging open for a brief moment.

“What a rude thing to say,” the woman whispered back.

“Yeah…” Eren answered, managing to sound sad. Somehow it took some of the tension away to complain about Levi to this random lady. “I was so excited to wear it tomorrow, but now I'll be self-conscious the whole evening. Maybe he's right, maybe I should have chosen something more casual.”

She even bit her lip as she mumbled the last sentence. Levi had now caught up and passed her, not bothering to show his ticket to the stewardess.

“Come on, _Eva_ , we don't have all day,” he clicked his tongue as he made his way to their seats.

Eren shot him a pissed look at his bossy tone, and the stewardess did the same.

“It's none of my business, Ma’am, but I think you'll look fabulous in your dress. Don't let him tell you otherwise,” the woman declared seriously, before a small smile tugged at her lips. “Can I bring you a champagne or something? I'm sure it’ll brighten up your mood again.”

Eren couldn't help but return the smile gratefully.

“Thanks, that’s very sweet and considerate of you“, she said honestly, feeling better at the kind gesture.

“No problem,” the woman smiled again and lead Eren to her seat in first class.

She went over and plopped herself down in the comfortable, white-leathered seat across from Levi. They had plenty of space, she even could stretch her legs without kicking him. Okay, maybe it was also because his legs were so damn short. Eren grinned smugly to herself as she stretched in the seat.

Levi, who had pulled out his phone again and tapped at it vigorously, glanced up and sent her a wary look.

“You're in an awfully good mood all of a sudden,” he said, knitting his brows together.

Eren knew this little frown meant that he was thinking hard about something, trying to decipher why she behaved that way, but to outsiders his face must look intimidating as ever.

 _He looks like a grumpy little teddy bear_. The thought crossed her mind. _A little badass teddy bear of death_.

Eren bit her lips, but the giggle escaped her mouth nonetheless. Levi raised one of his defined long eyebrows at her.

“I just tend to get giddy when I'm traveling.” Eren explained, grinning. Well, it wasn't exactly untrue. “And I've never been travelled first class before.”

She let her gaze wander over the handful of classy white seats taken by only a few passengers, before she reached for the newspaper in the suitcase next to her seat and unfolded it.

“Hm.” Levi's frown softened. “Is that so”

He turned his attention back to his phone, but Eren could swear she heard him muttering “ _We should travel more often then_ ,” under his breath, but it was so faint that it also could have just been her imagination.

“Mr. And Mrs. Miller, your champagne.” The stewardess from earlier stepped beside them, holding a small tablet with two glasses.

She handed Eren one of the glasses filled with a golden, sparkling liquid, smiling brightly at her, before she turned to Levi to shove the glass into his hands.

“We didn't order any—“ Levi began to object surprised, but was cut off as the glass suddenly spilled and half of the champagne poured out over his pants.

“Oh fuck, no!” he cursed loudly, causing a few people around them to look at him disapprovingly.

“Oh, would you look at that.” the stewardess pretended to be shocked. “Now your pants are ruined. I'm deeply sorry, Sir.”

Half-heartedly, she tried to sponge off the big stain with a napkin, before she unkindly tossed it to Levi to clean off his crotch himself. With a cheeky smile she added, “Maybe you find something that fits you better.”

And with a wink at Eren she turned around and strolled away.

“What the hell—“ Levi blinked with wide eyes and stared after her. “What is wrong with that fucking stewardess?! Why does she glare at me like I'd be a piece of crap?”

Indignantly, he turned to Eren for some support, but she just hid her face behind the newspaper. Levi could hear a faint snicker from her, and immediately the tension eased. There was no way he could be mad while hearing the adorable little laughter from her.

“No idea,” Green sparkling eyes shot him a glance over the brink of the newspaper. “But you're married now, you shouldn't worry about the opinions of other women.”

Levi huffed, but Eren lowered newspaper and sent him a sickenly sweet smile as she raised her glass at him.

“Here’s to you!” she laughed and swallowed the expensive alcohol with pleasure.

“Fuck you, too.” Levi murmured, but the smile tugging on his lips gave away that he was in a good mood as well.

 

\---

 

The rest of the flight went smoothly, as well as the landing, except for a little fight between Petra and Oluo, which ended with a snapping Petra (“I'm very much capable of carrying my bag myself, I'm not too 'weak and petite' you idiot!”) and a blushing Oluo (“That...was not what I meant, Petra...”).

Eren shook her head while she picked up her own purse.

“What dorks,” she murmured disbelievingly, receiving a weird look from Hanji for that.

“You mean _those two_ are dorks?” Hanji asked incredulously and stood up, blocking the way to the outside door. “Lemme tell you, I know some _other_ people that are really fucking incapable of getting their shit together and admit that they like—“

“Stop rambling shitty-glasses, there are people who would like to fucking leave the plane.” Levi snapped at her with a warning glare. “ _Today_ if it’s not too bothersome!”

“Jeez, you're really sensitive today, Levi.”

Hanji didn't look offended in the least by this insult, instead Eren watched her lean forward and whisper something in his ear that sounded suspiciously like a “You need to get laid, grumpy.”

They entered the building of Trost Airport, Hanji and Günther first, and Eren and Levi following in a distance of ten metres. They were about to reach the exit and head to the parking lot, when Levi's phone beeped.

He pulled it out, brows knitting together in concentration as he read the text, gaze glancing to the side suspiciously. Before Eren could ask him what he was looking for, she was suddenly yanked to the side and found herself pressed to a wall, Levi standing in front of her, back to the crowd.

“What’re you—“she tried to ask, but her mind was too clouded at the sudden proximity of him to continue the question.

“There was one of those filthy Titans,” Levi whispered low towards her, and she could feel his breath on her face.

He was leaning close to her, very close, but with no single part of his body was he touching her. An overwhelming heat rushed through Eren. “I have no fucking idea what business he has at the airport.” Levi continued, “Either they are expanding on a disturbingly fast level or someone gave them the tip to lie in ambush here.”

The meaning of his words got only half through to her, she was too distracted by the heat his body radiated. The hairs on her neck stood up, and the only thought that crossed Eren’s mind was how she could extend her hand and trail it down his chest if she wanted. And goddamn, how much she wanted it.

“I don't know what he’s doing here, but he'd better not notice us“, Levi murmured throaty, oblivious to the growing arousal inside of Eren.

An idea crossed his mind.

“Quick, act like a couple!”

That snapped her out of her trance and Eren’s eyes widened.

“How do we do that?” she asked, panicking.

Levi stared at her incredulously.

“I don't know, like this maybe?” he closed the distance between them, his lips not even an inch away from hers, but he still did not touch her.

Eren couldn’t take her gaze away from his lips, trying to fight the burning desire to give in and kiss him. She breathed heavily, noticing that Levi was also slightly out of breath, watching her with dark eyes full of desire. At least their little act must have looked convincing for outsiders, but in no way did it help Eren to clear her mind. They drowned in each other’s eyes, and Eren marvelled at the little specks of blue dancing in his icy grey orbs, only visible if you took a really close look.

Levi himself needed his upmost self-control to not close the small gap between them, the electrifying feeling becoming almost unbearable between them. It took everything inside him to not kiss Eren in that moment, but the conditions she had postulated just a few hours ago stopped him from doing so.

Their uncommon position lasted a few moments, maybe a bit longer than it would have been really necessary, but eventually Levi came to his senses. The Titan must have been gone by now, and they had to disappear from this airport as soon as possible, even if all Levi wanted to do right now was press Eren against this wall and never let her go.

Eren must have felt the same, judging by her wrecked breathing and the bright fire that was burning in her eyes. Finally, Levi found the power inside him to detach from her.

“Thank god there's no tension between us after all, huh?” he whispered with sarcasm in his voice before he backed off, leaving an empty and cold feeling inside of Eren, as if a part of her own body had been ripped away.

 

\---

 

Not even an hour later, after a tour in another high priced limousine, the whole Team arrived at a big, luxurious hotel lobby.

The tall impressive glass tower was located in the midst of the city, and as Eren marvelled over the noble marble floor and the elegant interior she couldn't help but ask herself of how much money Levi had to throw out of the window just to give them a roof over the head for a few days. She automatically pursed her lips, extravagance was never something she was fond of. If it was up to her, they could also sleep in an old wrecked cabin in the woods. Before she could stop it, Eren's thoughts wandered off to the one faithful night she had spent with Levi in one of their hide-outs and she felt her face grow hot from embarrassment.

Luckily no one noticed, as all of them turned their attention to Eld who had come back from the reception desk to check in. He jangled a bunch of keys in his hands and began to hand them towards the team.

“Alright, Günther, Oluo and me are situated in room 3054“, he explained. „Eren, you can decide if you want to share a room with Mikasa, Petra or Hanji, or ...” he trailed off, glancing uncertainly back and forth between Eren and Levi.

“Mikasa.” Eren said harsher than intended, snatching the key from his fingers and pointedly ignoring the disappointed squeal from Hanji and the eyeroll from Levi.

“Okay, so the suite's for you, boss. Room 3169.” Eld said and handed Levi his golden key, before he gave the last remaining one to Petra.

“Meeting's in two,” Levi grumbled shortly and left the group without a second glance.

None of his subordinates seemed to wonder about his curtness, so Eren decided to ignore it as well and follow Mikasa to their room.

It was situated in the 30rd floor and the fantastic view out of the big glass window gave away that they were high above the rooftops of the other buildings in town.

“Wow,” Eren was completely astonished as she plopped down her bag on the soft red carpet underneath her and lounged herself on one of the queen-sized beds in the room. "This is nice!” she said dreamily and stretched her arms to feel the silky blanket underneath her.

“Hm, I don't know,” Mikasa said, voice as unimpressed as ever, but smiling gently at Eren rolling around happily in the sheets like a cat. “Hotel beds are always too soft for my taste. I prefer a harder mattress.” she said continuing to unpack the little belongings she had brought with her while Eren sat up in bed.

“What did Levi mean, 'Meeting’s in two'?” she asked Mikasa.

“We're all going to meet up in his room in two hours,” Mikasa explained, putting a pile of books on her nightstand. “Then we'll eat pizza and talk about the things we're going to do in the next few days.”

“Pizza?” Eren raised her brow.

This had to be the meeting Levi had talked about earlier. Mikasa nodded.

“It's a tradition,” she smiled brightly, her eyes shining with a warm glint and making her look younger than usual.

 _She's actually so pretty_ , Eren thought to herself and couldn't help but smile as well as the woman rearranged the scarf around her neck.

“It's fucking 30 degrese in here.“ Eren knew she exaggerated, but she didn't care. “Don't you want to take off that scarf? It must be freakin' hot with it.”

“No.” Mikasa said firmly and put her hands around the ends of the scarf protectively. “This was the first gift I got from someone who didn’t just want me to do them a favour in return,”she murmured quietly. “Except for Levi, of course. But he’s my brother, so that doesn’t count.”

“Hmm,” Eren hummed, not really knowing how to reply to that, but secretly thinking to herself that she wouldn't mind staying around Mikasa a little more to give her all the presents the woman obviously deserved.

 

\---

 

Not even two hours later, after lazing around and a refreshing shower they stood in Levi's suite, being the last ones to attend.

Eren quickly glanced around, noticing that his room was even bigger and nobler than theirs. Not only a huge king-sized bed, but also a red-golden couch as well as some cushioned chairs and a dark brown desk formed the furniture. The elegant atmosphere was complemented by paintings, flowers and decorative statues here and there— which didn't fit the large pile of Pizza boxes that were put on the floor in front of a cross-legged Hanji.

“So you really are eating cheap pizza in a place like this,” Eren wondered out loud.

Why Levi would allow the risk of cheesy strings on his couch and smell of greasy peperoni in his room was beyond her, she had thought the clean freak in him would have freaked out by now.

“Hanji wouldn't shut up about it,” he murmured as he sat down on the couch, answering Eren's silent question.

And in fact, Hanji was beaming happily as they all took their seats and distributed the pizza quietly. Eren had to smile inwardly as she sat down beside Mikasa, across from Levi, and glanced him a secret look. The mafia leader might act annoyed more often once Hanji opened her mouth, but Eren bet her ass that he secretly liked the crazy woman for her enthusiasm and passion as much as Eren did, if not even more.

Hanji looked at both of them, her lips tugging into a wide smile as she tried to stifle a giggle.

“What's so funny?” Eren asked as she received a slice of pizza from Petra. The broccoli on top of it looked slightly mashed, but nevertheless Eren's mouth watered at the promising smell.

“Never ask something like that,” Levi said low and sent her an urgent glare. “You know the answer will be something entirely stupid or crazy—“

“Shut up Levi, or I'll show Eren that one picture I made of you last summer in the—“ Hanji interrupted, but was cut off by Levi was well.

“Don’t you fucking dare, Four-eyes!”

Hanji sent him a content grin, knowing full well that she had him in her hands this time. Ignoring the death glare she received from her boss, she turned back to Eren who was watching both of them amused.

“It's just funny to see you two close to each other without trying to go for each other’s throat.” Hanji explained, biting off a piece of pizza of her own.

Eren felt something stir inside her, something warm and fuzzy she couldn’t quite explain.

“Don’t get used to it.” she said quickly, receiving a raised brow from Hanji and confused frowns from the rest of the squad.

“What do you mean?” Hanji asked slowly. “Don’t you want to be a member of the Wings of Freedom?”

Eren already opened her mouth to reply and explain the limitation of time on her membership, but Levi butted in.

“Eren has a lot of different problems to solve first.” he said calmly, all eyes in the room focusing on him. “And she didn’t make a decision if she want to join, yet. So this is kind of a probation period for her right now. Let’s all try to make it as pleasant for her as possible to convince her.”

The rest of the gangsters nodded in understanding, and Eren glanced him a surprised look. Under the small table she could feel his foot nudging her leg, as if to sign “ _Play along_ ,” and she furrowed her brows. She had no idea why Levi would tell something like this while their deal looked entirely different, but she decided to trust him on this.

“Yeah, yes.” she said lamely, apparently pleasing the other members, because they all turned back to consuming their food.

They chatted and bickered around for a little longer, until everyone of them was finished with their Pizza and tidied up the remains of it neatly. Apparently nobody dared to leave their place dirty under Levi’s watchful eyes. When everything was clean and neat again, Eld jumped up and wandered over to the mini bar.

“Okay, fellows,” he drawled off. “Time for the good stuff!”

Eren perked up at these words; that sounded awfully suspicious. Half of her expected him to pull out some fancy looking drug, finally exposing the illegal and harmful behaviour one would expect from the Mafia. But all he came back with was an expensive looking bottle of whiskey and a stack of glasses in his hands.

“Hell yeah!” Hanji cheered as she spotted the bottle. “Please tell me it’s Glenfiddich, not the cheap stuff from last time!”

“21 years old, just the way you like it.” Eld confirmed grinning, and Levi scoffed.

“Don’t worry, we’re not buying the shit from last time ever again. That piss burned my throat, I thought I was going to end up blind.”

He received a filled glass by Eld first, before the other members of his team were handed drinks as well. Eren took her glass and sniffed at the liquid suspiciously.

“So this is your favourite booze?” she turned to Hanji. “Is it really that good?”

The woman looked at her with a puzzled face, so Eren added: “Levi told me he bought you your favourite whiskey because you wanted to drink tonight.”

A wide smile stretched on Hanji’s face, and her eyes lit up.

“Aww Levi,” she beamed at him happily and jumped to her feet.

“Why did you say that, Eren.” Levi muttered dryly before he was buried in one of Hanji’s famous bear hugs.

“I knew it, deep inside, you just want the best for all of us—“ Hanji cooed, until Levi had enough and shoved her away. “Shut up Hanji, this may apply for the rest of this room, but not for you.” he hissed and rearranged his clothing, but nobody seemed to take these harsh words seriously, because all the other members smiled fondly at him.

Eren hid her own grin by taking a sip of the Single Malt in front of her. It burned in her throat and she had to cough, but once she took another sip she could taste a surprising delicious mix of smoky and sweet flavours.

“Alright, let’s get this done”, Levi sighed and leaned back. “I already explained to Eren a few things about the Titan’s at the airport—“

Eren scoffed audibly before she took another sip, and Levi’s lips tugged into a smirk, but he continued.

“And as you all know, we want to prevent them from establishing a base here in Trost, to reduce their power in our city, Shiganshina. So we’re going to destroy the shit-stained place they call headquarters here, and we’ll be thorough. No survivors.”

The look in his eyes was close to murderous, and despite the chill it send down Eren’s spine, she was fascinated by the way he spoke.

“For that purpose, we’re going to pay them a visit at the end of the week. Mikasa got the blue prints for the building, and we’re going to fucking crash their little party.” An excited squeal came from Hanji at those words, and Levi turned his attention to her. “You’re going to examine the leftovers of that shithole, once we’re done.”

“God, _yes_.” Hanji whispered agitated, clenching her fingers in her knees as she leaned forward with an unsettling smile on her face. “That sounds fun.”

“Don’t drool on my carpet, Four-eyes,” Levi said sharply, but Hanji just giggled, so he continued. “However, tomorrow we’re going downtown into the old Underground district to take care of a few things.” Judging by the sharp inhale of some of the others, Eren figured that this had to be something special. “First, the usual; than we’re paying Reeves a little visit.” Again there was this dangerous glint in his eyes, but as soon as he spoke further, it disappeared. “And we’re also having some fun at ‘Black Sina’, Ness invited us.”

“Yeah!” Petra called happily, and Günther grinned.

“Petra, you’re a fucking party animal.” The man laughed.

“Party?” Eren asked surprised, having expected something different on this trip, but she was definitely not averse to this.

“Yes, Party,” Petra explained excited, her face lighting up. “Dieter is friends with Levi, and every time we’re here we go to his club, it’s the best in town. And oh god, it’s amazing!”

With growing interest Eren listened. Dieter Ness was a famous business man, and she didn’t know that he also was involved with Levi. She stored this information at the back of her mind into her mental Levi-folder, the one she still kept writing, despite her being a member of his organization now.

 _Temporary member_ , she added quickly in her mind.

“Petra is our dancing queen,” Eld added amused, tearing Eren out of her thoughts. “And man, does this girl booze like 20 sailors, I’ll tell you. Last time she was so drunk, she puked all over—“

“Eld, don’t tell her that!” Petra cried, her cheeks tinting pink, which caused the others to laugh loudly. “That’s embarrassing—“

“Oi guys, focus.” Levi said low, and immediately the laughter died, even if a small smile tugged at his lips as well. “Petra, no getting drunk when we’re at Black Sina.”

“Aye boss,” she answered quietly, face flushed red, but amusement visible in her eyes. Levi shot her a half-warning glare.

“Okay, now that we clear on this,” he continued, “the day after tomorrow will be reserved for training with the 3DMG. Hanji refined that shit, and we need to see how you get used to it.” His sharp gaze shifted to Eren. “And you’re going to try it out for the first time. I don’t think that you’ll be able to use it at the end of the week, though, it takes some time.”

Eren nodded eagerly, the prospect of flying through the sky with their awesome equipment like she had seen Levi and Eld do was more than just exciting.

He then continued to speak about their plan on storming the Titans headquarters, supported by Hanji who explained the details and sometimes even translated the sentences he just said. She received an annoyed glare every time she did so, but apparently everybody was used to it as nobody was surprised. The evening went on, the serious talks about enemies and murder plans was interrupted more and more by the bickering and joking of the squad members. The whiskey seemed to have an effect on all of them except Levi and Mikasa, and so the team ended up chattering excitedly, while Levi explained all he knew about the Titans to Eren in a low tone. He told her about their current amount of members, hierarchical structures, things they did in the past and might plan in the future, and their preferred methods of committing crimes.

Bit by bit, the first ones excused themselves, wishing a good night and thanking Levi for the booze and the pizza, to which he would just let out an indifferent “Tch,” before he wished them a good night as well with a somehow softened gaze.

This went on until it was already one o’ clock in the morning, leaving only Eren, Levi, Mikasa and Hanji. Hanji was busy explaining to Mikasa how scientists examined the effect of the presence of others on someone’s ability to perform tasks with the aid of cockroaches (“They build tiny little labyrinths with spectator perches, isn’t this amazingly cute?!”) until Mikasa had enough and stood up.

“I'm going to bed now,” she declared firmly. “Do you have your room key with you, Eren?”

Eren was currently hunched over the desk next to Levi, discussing the building plan once more. She looked over her shoulder to Mikasa and nodded.

“I'm following once we‘re finished discussing this,” she said. “Just a few minutes.”

“Alright,” Mikasa’s lips tugged into an amused smile, but Eren had turned her attention already back to the plan, discussing their tactics in a low tone with Levi.

“Good night,” Mikasa said loudly as she strolled out of the door.

Eren and Levi didn’t even notice that Hanji slipped out as well, a wide knowing grin on her face.

“But if we’re going in here, the guards might see us,” Eren mused, pointing to the back entrance on the blue print. “It’d be better if we attack them outright and blow out this point.”

“Jesus Christ Eren, you’re always set for confrontation, aren’t you?” Levi replied, tapping his slender finger at another point on the plan. “The guard-room is over here, so they won’t be paying attention to this door too much. They will be arrogant enough to think that these ugly big walls will keep us away.”

Without thinking, he leaned a little closer to her, gliding his finger along the paper in their supposed escape route. A wave of his musky scent wafted into Eren’s nose and she had to swallow. The fragrance made her dizzy for a quick moment, and she lost track of what they were talking about.

A quick glance around the room told her that they were alone right now. When did that happen?

"If we sneak in, chances of us finishing them in a surprise attack will be way higher,” he continued, while she had to fight the urge to scoot closer and sniff him like a freak. Oblivious to her inner struggle, Levi talked further.

“And this way we hopefully will be able to snatch some of their documents that could give us a hint of what they’re planning in the long run."

Oh god, how much she wished to lick his throat, to see if his skin tasted as good as he smelled—

"Oi Eren, are you even listening?” his voice tore her out of her thoughts.

Shit, so he had caught her staring. Quickly Eren tried to gather herself again, but she couldn’t help it, her heart pounded in her chest, pulse racing, everything inside her screaming _Take him, take him!_

Levi watched her silently, for once no smug words on his lips, but eyes wide and dark, a silent promise in them that Eren just couldn’t resist. Cautiously, she stepped forward, closing the distance between them till they were mere inches apart, breathing in each others’ air.

No longer able to fight her instincts, Eren reached out a hand, cupping Levi’s face, feeling the contrast of soft skin and invisible scratchy stubbles underneath her fingers. Levi still didn’t say anything, instead he just leaned into her touch, tilting his head a bit in the process, and the silver storm in his eyes threatened to take her away with it.

“You know,” he finally spoke huskily, “I wouldn’t mind breaking the rules for once.”

The way he devoured her with his intense look told Eren what he’d like to do to her, but they both knew it was her part to break the rules she had set up earlier. And even if he might want to kiss her just as badly, he waited. Waited for Eren to make her own decision, gave up his entire control to make her feel comfortable with it, and somehow this thought made her heart flutter even more.

“…Fuck it,” she growled, closing the distance between them and pressing her lips on his.

Levi was seemingly just waiting for this, his arms instantly flying around her waist as he willingly let her explore his mouth. Had the atmosphere between them been tense before, it was now exploding. In not even an instant they were on each other, kissing and pressing against each other as if there was no tomorrow. Eren pushed her tongue inside of Levi’s mouth, exploring every inch of it, consuming his taste. And Levi didn’t hold back either, responding to the kiss with even more passion, pushing Eren against the wall behind her.

Their tongues glided along each other, eliciting a moan out of Eren’s throat, and Levi pulled her even closer to him. His hands roamed over her body, fingers trembling in still restrained passion, causing Eren to shiver in delight. Her hands wandered to his hair and she felt it smooth and soft underneath her fingers, and without thinking she tugged at the black strands, demanding more access to his mouth. She heard Levi groan in response, the lustful noise swallowed by her lips. Her hands trailed down his chest, fingertips brushing the fabric of his shirt, sensing the muscles underneath it.

Levi detached his lips from her mouth. Eren wanted to protest, but was too caught up in the sensation of him placing heated little kisses on her jaw. The sound of his wet lips smacking against her soft skin filled the room, danced around in her ears, and Eren actually forgot why she had fought against this for so long. Levi worked his way further to her throat, tongue darting out and licking gently at the sensitive skin, and Eren’s mind became dizzy. A faint little voice inside her mind told her that they shouldn’t be doing this, but as much as Eren tried to listen to it, the voice became smaller and smaller—

“Ah, Levi,” she breathed, overwhelmed when his tongue came dangerously close to her ear.“Wait—“

“Hm?” he hummed back, not stopping his actions.

She knew that once he would find the weak spots on her body, she would be puddy in his hands.

“We should—“ Eren’s mind was almost numb, it was hard to form a comprehensible sentence. “We should stop this.”

Levi’s grip around her waist tightened in an almost possessive way, his lips remained on her skin, but he had stopped the movements with his tongue that were driving Eren wild.

“And why’s that?” he asked in a soft voice.

As if the topic was so simple, as if there were no barriers in their lives which existed to the sole purpose that this couldn’t happen. She had thought that when he stopped his movements, she would be able to think clearer. But oh girl, was she wrong. Eren unconsciously clung to his shirt, instincts telling her to get him closer, _closer_ —

She felt his lips smirking against her skin and she would have loved to shove him away for being so cocky. Instead she found her hands slipping under his shirt impatiently, greedy to touch those amazing abs she knew he hid underneath it—

“Because I'm an - ah - I'm an agent,” Eren breathed out, whining as his own hands started to roam down her sides “And you're my target.”

He licked the crook of her neck, scratching his teeth along the skin and eliciting another needy whine from her throat, before Levi glanced up at her.

“But right now, at this moment,” he began, his fingers caressing her ever so gently, causing her to suck in a sharp breath. “Right now, we're just Eren and Levi. Eren and Levi who want to have some fun. Doesn't sound so wrong to me.”

Levi couldn't get enough of the small noises Eren made already, and he was growing addicted to it more and more. He couldn’t wait to find out what she would sound like once she was filled by his cock, and the thought alone was almost enough to lose his restraint.

Levi went to place sloppy kisses on her jaw, tasting her unique mix of sweetness and salt, and traced his tongue up the delicate line to her ear. Eren curled her fingers into his shoulder, not able to resist the delicious feeling of his mouth on her throat. When Levi began to softly nibble the lobe of her ear, she completely lost it. Her ear was more than sensitive, and having Levi's skilful mouth wrapped around it made her mind go numb in pleasure. Eren’s legs turned into jelly, and she wasn't able to control any of her muscles anymore, and if it wasn't for Levi holding a tight grip around her, she would have just slumped down into a boneless puddle of lust.

Levi smirked as he felt her doubts vanishing and pressed himself firmer against her body. Their actions were affecting him as well, he was already hard and struggling not to rip off her clothes and fuck her against the wall.

Eren must have felt the same, her fingers became braver, scratching his stomach and causing Levi to shudder in delight. Her nails dig deeper into his skin as she pressed her lips on his mouth again, claiming it in a hungry and thirsty kiss. Her tongue pushed into his mouth, glided along Levi's as she pressed their hips together, and it was driving him mad.

“Eren,” Levi growled in a low voice. “I want you so bad.”

The poor excuse of patience that had been left inside her faded away, and with fast movements she tugged at his shirt and pulled it off his body. Greedy, her eyes trailed along his exposed body, the ripped stomach and defined chest glistening in the shining moonlight and causing her mouth to go dry. Eren didn't hesitate anymore, she mashed their lips together and slowly pushed Levi backwards through the room, till both landed on his big, king-sized bed with a soft _thump_.

Eren rolled on top of Levi, kissing every inch of his skin she could reach, licking the salty drops of sweat from his throat and roaming her hands all over his body. She bit down and sucked several times on his pale, sensitive skin, causing little bruises to form, but Levi didn't seem to mind, as he groaned in pleasure every time she did so. Hearing the ever so composed Levi making such unintended, erotic noises turned Eren on, and before he had even touched her below her waist she already felt that she was dripping wet. His arms were wrapped around her body, keeping her in a tight embrace, and Eren found herself wanting to be even closer to him.

She kissed him again, lips already swollen and sensitive, but she just couldn't get enough of him. Their tongues glided along each other, making Eren moan into his mouth, and when Levi's hand found its way to her ass, squeezing her cheeks in an almost possessive way, she knew she was lost. They hadn't even taken off their clothes except for Levi's shirt, and she was already intoxicated by him.

The feeling of his hands on her body, his tongue inside her mouth, his scent in her nose, made Eren roll her hips onto his crotch on instinct. His hard erection pressed against her groin, and she reinforced the friction, rubbing against him.

A deep, intense growl came out of Levi, and in the blink of an eye he had flipped her over, attacking her with sweet yet desperate kisses everywhere as soon as she laid beneath him. Eren let him do as he liked, enjoying the way her body suddenly felt ever so weak under his intense touches.

Levi began to unbutton her shirt, slowly at the beginning, but growing impatient more and more with every button, till he just carelessly ripped it open and brushed it from her shoulders. Her bra followed after, and Eren shuddered at the feeling of cool air against her heated skin, soon covered by Levi's warm, wet lips. He turned his attention to her breasts, placing open mouthed kisses on her soft skin while kneading one breast with his hand. Eren’s back arched into his touch, and as Levi’s tongue flicked her nipple, she bucked up her hips in desire.

“Oh god, Levi!“ Eren moaned, desperate for him to touch her further down. “P-Please!”

“You’re so hot when you’re begging“, he whispered against her skin, causing everything inside her to melt at his beautiful, velvety voice.

Eren let out a frustrated groan as he went back on teasing her slowly, and this caused Levi to chuckle darkly.

“You have made me wait for so long now baby, so I'm going to take my time,“ he said, letting his tongue slowly trail down, “to enjoy your body,“ he bit down the soft skin of her stomach, causing her to gasp.

“To make you feel things you've never felt before.” Levi breathed before he sucked at the part below her navel. “Until you're so overridden with pleasure,” he grabbed her pants, deliberately slowly unzipping it, “that you can do nothing but scream my name.”

Eren shuddered in anticipation at the sweet threats, and though one part of her wanted to smack him for this smugness, the other part inside her was desperate to see if he could keep up with his promises.

Levi watched Eren's face for any sign of discomfort as he cautiously took off her pants. But she was far from feeling anything but lust, so she helped him free her legs from the cloth impatiently. Levi smirked at the knowledge that she was just as turned on as he was.

His hand began to trail down from her navel to her groin as he lifted up her left leg and placed several kisses on her inner thigh, his intense gaze never leaving her face. Another mewl escaped Eren’s mouth and encouraged Levi to go further. His fingers still caressed her stomach and hips, while he slowly kissed his way towards her womanhood.

He knew she was more than ready to let him in, and he also knew that he was driving her crazy with this slow pace, but that was what he intended; Levi wasn’t interested in just having a quick fuck, no. He wanted to show Eren how much he wanted her, how much she meant to him, and he wanted to engrave his entire being into her brain through his actions. His words from before were no hollow promise; the only thing on her mind was supposed to be him, like Eren was the only one Levi could think about for months now.

Eren meanwhile was having a hard time containing herself. She didn’t want to make all these embarrassing needy noises, yet she couldn’t help the moan that rolled from her lips as Levi planted warm kisses between her legs. He locked gazes with her as he began to trail his tongue across her wetness, and the wanton noises she made was music to his ears. Levi licked and sucked her vagina fiercer, all the while eying her blissful reactions wolfishly.

It was sort of embarrassing, but Eren couldn't find the will in her to care anymore, so she just closed her eyes and enjoyed Levi's skilful movements, tightening her grip on his hair in spite of herself when his tongue flicked inside her.

“Hnngh... oh god...” Eren panted as she felt him brush that magic spot inside her that sent waves of pleasure through her stomach.

Levi stopped for a moment, causing Eren to whimper in frustration and open her eyes.

“What is it, Eren?“ he purred against the sensitive skin, eliciting another gasp from her. “Do you like this? Want me to continue?”

Those dark grey orbs shone deviously at her, captivating her entire being with one simple gaze.

„Stop teasing me you fucking—“ Eren began, but her angry reply was cut off by her own desperate cry as Levi pushed his tongue once more between the lips of her vulva. "Ah!"

“Maybe I should stop if you don’t want me to continue-“, he murmured mockingly.

“N-no”, she let out shaky breath. “Please, don’t stop!”

Levi hummed, satisfied at her plea, going back to sucking and nibbling the sensitive flesh gently. Eren let go of his hair in favour of clutching to the sheets as he continued bringing her pleasure, the anger over his teasing behaviour long forgotten by the delightful dizziness that had taken over her mind. She twisted and squirmed in pleasure, but Levi grabbed her hips and held them in a strong grip, trapping her under his affectionate attention, and there was no other place in the world she would rather like to be right now.

Her high-pitched moans became louder and louder, and finally Levi couldn’t bear it anymore and he detached himself from her wetness, but not before giving her womanhood a last kiss. Eren didn’t know when she had closed her eyes, but at the loss of contact she opened them and glanced down. Before she could grasp on to what was happening, Levi was already hovering over her again, delivering her a sloppy kiss. She could taste herself on his lips, salty and sweet at the same time, the thought strangely turning her on.

There was no way she could bear this slow teasing game any longer, so she trailed her fingers down his body deliberately, before she zipped down his fly with fast movements.

Surprised, Levi opened his eyes, and was met with the cheeky grin of Eren. She looked so hot and sexy with the smirk on her lips that he wasn’t even able to oppose as she pulled down his pants quickly, his intentions of taking it slow all gone.

Hectically Levi leaned forward and rummaged through the drawer of his nightstand, relieved that he found the package of condoms so quickly.

Eren had sat up and taken off his briefs as well in the meantime, admiring the sight of his cock already dripping wet. Deep red, the tip already swollen, it stood up proudly in front of her. She wrapped her hand around it and gave it a testing stroke, causing Levi to gasp.

“Hurry up, old man,” she mocked as he finally ripped open the wrapping of the condom.

His gaze shifted back from the contraceptive to her, silver grey eyes glaring at amused emerald orbs.

“Just you wait,” he growled playfully and pushed her back into the mattress, kissing her breathtakingly while he applied the condom on his dick.

They kissed and bit each other a bit more, hands never stopping to wander down each other’s body, mapping the lines of muscles and curves with their fingertips, before Levi finally positioned himself between her legs.

“Ready, my love?” he asked lowly, his voice like liquid velvet. She felt the tip of his cock pushing against her vagina, and the inside of her stomach twisted in anticipation.

“Yes,” she whispered back.

Finally, in a torturing slow move, Levi pushed himself inside her, burying his dick into the wetness of her womanhood. The feeling of him filling her up was overwhelming; it was as if he extinguished the flame inside her and set so much more fire at the same time. A blissful smile spread on her lips, and as she lifted her gaze to look at him, she could see a glowing look of adoration on his face.

Levi sank down on Eren and pressed his body against hers, before he began to move inside her in a steady, slow motion. His fingers found her hands and intertwined them firmly.

“Oh god, you feel so good,” he murmured huskily as he thrust into her, his grip around her hands tightening.

Her body reacted on its own, mirroring his actions till they established a steady rhythm.

The tenderness of his movements caused her brain to tingle, heart to beat faster, but at the same time it wasn’t enough. This sweet torture of gentleness was just too much for her. He was all over her, invading her senses on every level possible, and yet Eren just couldn’t get enough of Levi.

“H-harder,” she panted, rational thinking long gone. “Please, fuck me harder!”

She felt him stiffen for a brief moment, his grip on her hands trembling.

“Your wish is my command,” he murmured darkly before he sat up, creating an angle where he could thrust into Eren even deeper.

And indeed, as he went back diving into her, he caused Eren to moan loudly at every movement, indicating that this position was pleasuring her even more. Levi quickened his pace, careful not to hurt her while he had to hold back, trying not to come yet. The sight of Eren laying beneath him, looking at him with half-lidded, clouded eyes almost pushed him over the edge. He had waited for this moment since they had first met, and now it was even better than all of his wet fantasies. Eren was here, in his arms, mewling because she _wanted_ him.

An overwhelming feeling of happiness took over him, and he was high on adrenaline as he thrust into her mercilessly, fuelled by every wanting moan that rolled from her lips. The room was filled with sinful noises of skin smacking on skin, every time his hips met her pelvis, and he dove into her, hitting her sweet spot over and over again. The moans she let out became thirstier, high-pitched, and she furrowed her brows in a perfect, adorable way.

God, if there was one moment Levi actually felt ecstatic in his life than it was now, inside of the woman he loved, delivering her pleasure in that one way he craved for so long.

He let his hand trail roughly over her body - _finally, she’s mine now_ \- leaving behind small scratches that neither of them seemed to mind.

Eren wrapped her legs around his waist without even thinking, enjoying every single movement more and more. The way he stared at her with these predator eyes was so unbearably hot, and she found her nails digging deeper into the bed sheets.

“Ah, fuck,” she gasped, voice already hoarse from her screams of pleasure. “Levi, Levi, _Levi_ —“

She barely had said those words when Levi was already all over her in the next moment, pressing their bodies flush together. He mashed their lips together, both just panting into each other’s mouths as he thrust into her, all the needy noises swallowed by their kiss. Eren clung to him for dear life, feeling the familiar heat pooling in her stomach. Levi gripped her tighter, one arm around Eren’s waist holding her in place, the other buried in her hair. The tension became too much, and Eren knew she was close, so close—

Levi placed sloppy kisses on her throat, biting down in the crook of her neck, and Eren cried out as waves of pleasure rolled through her body. Feelings of happiness carried her away as she trembled in Levi’s arms, body and mind shaken by the intense emotions.

He continued to fuck her with hard thrusts and didn’t last much longer, whispering Eren’s name against her shoulder as he came and rode out his own orgasm.

Levi collapsed on her, and they both laid there for a few minutes, boneless puddles of joy, slowly coming down from their high. Eren wasn't sure if it just was her own heart that was pounding hard inside her chest or if she was feeling Levi's heartbeat as well. In this moment, where they were wrapped around each other on his bed, they seemed to be one whole instead of two different individuals. It felt good, like safety and security, and soon Eren's rapid panting turned into deep, even breaths.

Eventually, Levi lifted his head from the crook of her neck and smiled down at her affectionatel. When Eren's eyes flickered from his dark silver orbs to his pale pink lips, he simply leaned down and gave her another passionate kiss. Blissfully, she savoured every moment of it and enjoyed the tingling feeling in her stomach, until Levi finally detached himself from her and stood up.

“Where're you going?” Eren mumbled sleepily and peered up at him.

“Bathroom. Need to clean myself up,” Levi explained briefly before he gave her another quick, chaste kiss and disappeared into the room next door.

As much as he enjoyed the after-cuddling with Eren, the thought of all of this liquid on his skin freaked Levi out, and he wasn't able to focus his attention on his lover in that case. He hurried up to clean himself, washed his armpits and dick thoroughly and tossed the used condom into the trash. He didn't take a shower though, because his skin smelling from Eren's scent was something he'd treasure as long as he could, at least until the next morning.

Quickly, Levi slipped back into the room, for one second anxiously wondering if Eren would have used the time to panic and sneak out.

But with relief he noticed her laying on his bed, curled up in the blanket and apparently already asleep. Quietly, he slipped into the bed as well next to her and turned around to face Eren's sleeping form. Deep and even breaths rolled out of her smiling lips, and also the rest of her body seemed to be calm and relaxed. This was the view Levi had hoped for as he once snuck into her flat to give back her mobile phone. To be the only one who was able to see her this relaxed and unguarded made his heart flutter in an odd way, and he couldn't help the smile that spread on his own face.

Slowly, with cautious movements to not wake her, he scooted closer and laid his arms around her waist, pulling her closer. Eren didn't stir, the only thing she did was sigh blissfully and snuggle closer in her dozy state, until she rested her face on his chest. Levi brushed a few strands of hair out of her face and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

“You have no idea what you're doing to me, Eren.” He whispered softly before he drifted to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so usually the best way to reward an author for writing a chapter is to drop a comment (and srsly it makes my fucking day when you do this, I always jump around and grin like a mad woman when you do this). But today I'd ask you for a different kind of favour. You don't have to tell me, and maybe this is kind of ridiculous to ask for, but knowing some of you guys will do would mean the world for me today. Would you please lean back, and take a minute to think of all the good things you have in life? I know it can be hard and very shitty, but it would be so amazing if you'd appreciate these things, even if it is just for one minute. 
> 
> Now you may continue scrolling and think about our two dorks fucking together. Thank you, and I love all of you!


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The morning after... as well as some heart-to-heart-talks and new mysteries!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes here I am, it's time for an update again! 
> 
> But before I begin my usual rant, hold up! My girl [Beyza](http://chevapravatdumrong.tumblr.com/) drew some wonderful [Mikasa](http://chevapravatdumrong.tumblr.com/post/129086960451/mikasa-ackerman-from-catch-me-sweetheart-by)  
> from this fic, and I'm totally in love with it *screams into the night*! Also, she is my personal music-dealer for this fic and motivates me all the time, without her I would be even slower writing this, so give her some love ヽ(゜∇゜)ノ
> 
> Also, this chapter is unbeta-d again at the moment, I'm sorry u.u My beta is cramped with other things rn, but the impatient shit I am I just needed to update now. Forgive me for my weakness of not being able to wait any longer, but I wanted to give you the update. So yeah, you know I'm not a native speaker, so this might be full of mistakes, blabla, you know the deal. Maybe I'll be able to come back and edit the text in a few days, at least I hope so. 
> 
> On a side note I decided to make shorter updates now. Don’t worry, there will be the same amount of stories and words left until the end, I’ll just include less scenes per chapter. My work schedule increased again and I don’t want you to wait for half a year or sth like that for an update. Sooo I hope this way I’ll be able to provide you with a little bit faster updates. The only downside ist hat I don’t know if I’ll manage to end every chapter with a fluffy ereri moment like I tried over the last ones, but I’ll give my best!
> 
> So, and now I'm finished with my long-ass intro. Enjoy the chapter, lovelies!

Eren awakened when something soft tickled her neck.

The feeling of warmth that spread inside her made her smile before her consciousness even knew where she was. Slowly, Eren opened her eyes and was greeted with the strays of the sun shining brightly through the big window she was facing. The sky was light blue with only a few clouds on it, and it promised to be a beautiful day. Eren yawned lazily, stretching a bit in the process, but stiffened when she felt herself being hold back by strong arms around her waist.

She turned around to see who or what was caging her, but even before Eren saw the man laying next to her, the memories of the previous night came flooding back. A rush of adrenaline, mixed with lust and panic, rushed over her as she remembered their bodies entangled, eyes full of desire, loud moans filling the room.

“Fuck”

She sat up, running a hand through her hair, trying to process what happened yesterday. So she really had slept with Levi. All of her morals, her dream of a big career – she had thrown it out of the window just to spend the night with the hot mafia leader. Yes, the sex may had been great – fucking fantastic to say the least – but that didn’t erase the fact that it had been a big mistake. Levi and she had a confusing relationship as it was, and the fact that they had fucked together wouldn’t make it any better, at least in Eren’s opinion.

Her next decision was on mere impulse. If she would hurry up and sneak out now, they could pretend it never happened, and they both could go on with their daily lives-

Eren was about to swing her legs out of the bed, hoping that Levi wouldn’t notice and she could return to her room in peace, when suddenly an arm was wrapped around her chest and threw her back onto the mattress.

Eren yelped in surprise.

“Don’t you dare sneaking away on me like this,” a dark voice murmured next to her.

Still trapped flat on the back, Eren slowly turned her head, finding herself face to face with an awake Levi. His eyes were cracked half open, sending her a stern look, despite his otherwise sleepy appearance. His face was paler than usual, little stubbles creating a shadow of a beard on his chin, his hair messy and tousled, and Eren couldn’t suppress the words _cute_ and _adorable_ in her mind.

“Let go off me,” she demanded quickly, before her thoughts could wander otherwise.

“No,” Levi growled sleepily, closing the distance between them in a surprisingly fast move and pulled her back into his firm embrace.

“Ugh,” Eren huffed while she struggled and twisted to escape his arms, but it was no use.

It was not possible for her to break free without actually hurting on of them physically. She was caged in his arms, his fierce body way too hot behind her, his overwhelming presence constricting and suffocating her. With growing panic Eren reinforced her attempts to free herself.

“Levi,” she squeezed out, on the edge of panicking. “I can’t breathe!”

For a horrible second Eren thought he wouldn’t comply, but as she felt the embrace loosen, relief washed over her. She inhaled and exhaled deeply.

“Okay Eren, what’s the problem?” Levi sighed beneath her.

Immediately Eren jolted up, watching how Levi tried to chase away the last amounts of sleepiness by rubbing his eyes.

_What a damn cute fucker._

“You know what the fucking problem is!” she murmured and forced herself to tear her eyes off him.

Levi ran a hand over his face.

“Oh, are you still stuck in this criminal-and-agent-thing?” he asked exaggerated. “Jesus fucking Christ, Eren”

This caused Eren to snap her head at him.

“Well excuse me that I have my morals!” she started to get worked up.

It didn’t sound like he was taking her and her concerns seriously. These things were important to her, in fact her whole personality was built up on her ideals to maintain the order and protect the weak. Ideals she had thrown overboard when she fucked the leader of the most powerful mafia of her god forsaken island. Images of yesterday flashed up in her mind again, pictures of a naked Levi hovering over her, lips parted in silent moans, face flushed from their activites.

Eren ran a hand through her hair.

“Fuck,” she sighed. “What did we do?!”

“We had fucking incredible sex”

Levi was not very helpful, the way he stretched his muscular arms upwards and yawned contentedly. That damn shorty had the smuggest and most satisfied smirk possible on his features, knowing exactly what he did to Eren by disposing himself like this.

“Yeah, thank you very much,” Eren countered dryly, fishing for her blouse that had been carelessly thrown on the floor a few hours ago. “The question is, _why_ did we do this-“

Levi chuckled darkly beneath her. “You know, when a man and a woman really like each other-“

“Levi! I’m being serious!” Eren called angrily and slipped into the clothes, starting to button up the blouse.

Levi sighed, mourning the loss of this amazing view on Eren’s uncovered body, but made sure to have a blank expression as ever back on his face as he answered.

“I don’t understand why you’re making such a fuss. Right now, it’s your task to catch the Titans, not me,” he stated. Eren opened her mouth – surely she wanted to disagree again – but Levi didn’t let her interrupt him. “No Eren, there’s really no big deal about it. Don’t overthink it” He watched her warily for a moment, before he continued. “Wasn’t it the best sex you’ve ever had?”

He noticed how her movements stopped for a brief second, how her hands hovered over the last button. He also had time enough to see how she bit her lip slightly before she continued dressing.

“That’s- That’s not the point,” she murmured defensively and stood up to grab her underwear and jeans as well.

Levi leaned back satisfied.

“So it _was_ the best sex you’ve ever had,”he stated, not able to suppress the tone of victory in his voice.

He found himself unable of tearing his gaze off Eren, who currently was wiggling her butt back into her pants, until Eren caught him staring and sent him a dark glare in return.

“Jeez, relax, Eren,” he glanced a quick look at the clock, seeing that they still had plenty of time till the others would meet up for breakfast.

He absently scratched his stomach, noticing that Eren’s gaze was lingering on his hand, slowly dripping lower to the waistband of his boxer shorts. A small smirk tugged at his lips.

“We’re two consenting adults, I don’t see the big deal about it”

Her eyes flickered back to his face, noticing his smug expression and that she had been caught staring. Quickly, Eren cleared her throat and closed the button of her jeans.

“The _big deal_ , Levi, is that I am still a defender of the law and you’re a criminal! I should have known better,” she muttered and sat back on the bed again, trying to reach for one of her shoes. “I should have acted like a professional, and keep myself under control. We just jumped each others bones because we were two horny idiots that desperately needed stress-relief…”

Levi could have laughed at her adventurous move to grab the shoe without falling from the bed, if it wasn’t for the meaning of her last words dripping into his veins like venom.

“It wasn’t just a casual fuck and you know it,” he pressed out.

Could this be real? Was she really still denying the feelings they had for each other, even after they made love like this last night? Of course she would. This was Eren he was speaking about. Stubborn, oblivious and determined-to-deny-her-feelings-Eren.

And indeed, she whipped around to him.

“What do you mean?”

Levi furrowed his brows.

“Oh c’mon Eren, stop pretending you wouldn’t notice it," he said, looking directly into her eyes.

She tried her best not to fidget around nervously as she replied, “I have no fucking idea what you’re talking about!”

Levi had the audacity to snort at this.

“Yeah, like you didn’t know about the sexual tension between us”

The shoe dangled forgotten from her hand as she sent him a dirty glare.

“You are a sly old man!” she accused.

Levi hold up his hands defensively.

“Oi, I might be, but I respected those rules you set up for this. I wasn’t the one who initiated last night”

Eren narrowed her eyes and grumbled an inaudible curse to herself. Levi was right, she couldn’t argue on that one.

“At least it’s like you said, now that we have this out of our system, we can get on with the fucking task”, she said and slipped her foot into the shoe.

Before she could search for the other one, though, she heard the bedspring crack next to her. Turning her head, she froze, staring completely paralyzed at Levi crawling towards her like a damn panther.

“Is that so?” he purred in a low voice.

His wolfish eyes pinned her in a predator way, causing heat pooling up in her stomach. Her heart hammered against her ribcage, and Eren’s whole body began to tingle. And it did not fucking help when she stared at the muscles on Levi’s stomach, flexing with every movement he made towards her. Of course, the smooth motherfucker noticed the flicker of her eyes and smirked confidently.

“You sure that you’re completely over me now?” he asked in this sultry voice of his.

He came close, _closer_ – Eren couldn’t take off her eyes until he was right in front of her.

“So if I kissed you, right now, you’d feel nothing?” Levi whispered huskily.

Eren swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly too dry to be of use. Levi used her speechlessness to climb on her lap, both of his legs trapping her thighs, grabbing her wrists and guiding her hands over his toned chest and stomach.

"You still feel nothing?” his voice was a mere whisper, going straight down into her groin.

She forced her eyes away from these incredible muscles, lifting her head to look in his face instead. Immediately she realised that this had been a big mistake, his stormy eyes captivated her gaze and made it impossible for her to focus on anything else.

“Y-yeah,” she managed to press out eventually, still not able to take off her hands of him. “Nothing”

She knew that this was a complete lie, and Levi must have known too, the way she stared at him, hypnotized by his intense gaze. As if she was just waiting to be devoured by him completely.

Eren was still not able to move as Levi’s face came closer, as she felt his breath on her own skin. It was a mere second, but for Eren it felt like an eternity as they drowned in each others eyes, before Levi cupped her cheeks, pressing his lips on hers.

His kiss was not tender or playful like the last time he initiated something between them. It was rough, animalistic even; and goddamn if Eren didn’t enjoy every single second of it. She could barely moan into the kiss before Levi already shoved his tongue into her mouth, claiming it and leaving no doubt that he wanted Eren as bad as the previous night, if not even more. Pure possessiveness shaped Levi’s actions now, his movements becoming bolder, washing away any doubts Eren might have had until now. She wasn’t able to control her hands, roaming them greedily over his back, pulling him closer.

Levi complied, pushing her back into the matrace, rolling his hips at her while he added more pressure to the kiss. The whine that escaped Eren’s throat was nothing but needy, and it fuelled Levi’s desire endlessly. There was no restrain in his movements anymore, all of his feelings for Eren went unfiltered into the kiss. Levi was a force that came upon Eren, demanding more from her than just her body.

And god, did Eren comply.

She arched her back into his touch, letting him slip his fingers under her shirt , desperate to feel his warm strong hands on her breast again. Another roll from his hips left her mewling wantonly, and Levi detached himself with a groan.

He stared down at her, raw hunger readable in his eyes, visibly restraining himself from attacking her once again. A few seconds were necessary before Levi found back his voice.

“See, Eren”, he murmured, bending down until his lips were next to her ear. “I’d love to rip off your clothes and fuck you senseless right now” His voice was deep and husky, his mouth hovering over the shell of her ear, the little puffs of air from his breath tickling the sensitive skin. “God I really would,” she could hear the hardly suppressed desire in his voice, causing her to shudder. “And I’m sure you would have nothing against it”

He was completely right, Eren would throw him on his back and savage him herself for all she cared.

“But I won’t,” Levi stated plainly, lips still not even an inch away from her ear.

These words snapped Eren out of her sex-induced trance.

“The fuck?” she asked unbelievingly, only to be rewarded with a low chuckle from him.

“I’ll just prove you stubborn little shit that it’s not only about sex between us,” he said and straightened up again. His hand gently trailed over her shocked face. “And as much as I enjoy fucking the shit out of you, it’s not the only thing I want from you”

Finally, Levi climbed off of her again, standing beneath the bed and starting to dress up as well. “And if it takes me years, I’ll wait until you fucking admit that you fell in love with me”

Eren stared at him incredulously, propping herself on her elbows, before she found her voice again.

“You’re fucking nuts”, she growled and jumped to her feet as well.

Levi stood right in front of her, despite his still shining eyes his face as calm as ever. It was goddamn unfair how he managed to be this composed while Eren was out of breath again. She glared a last time at him before she put on her second shoe. As she opened the door and was about to exit the room, he spoke up again.

“Oh, and Eren,” he hold her back before she could make her way out of the door. Levi stood right behind her, the heat of his body so very sensible for her. “Just so you know…” His lips brushed the skin of her neck, making it hard for her to hold back a moan. “I’m not gonna back off, now that I did get a taste of you. I’m gonna make you mine, and if it’s the last thing I do,” Levi murmured darkly behind her and gave her a small slap on the ass.

Eren whipped around, wanted to call him out on his bullshit, but his expression was already back to his usual indifferent face.

“So, see you at breakfast?” he asked in a bored voice, and before Eren could stop him, he already slammed the door in her face.

Frozen on the spot, she stared at the dark wood for at least five seconds.

“I swear to god, you fucktwad,” Eren cursed and kicked the door, almost sure she heard a dark laughter behind it. “I’m gonna kick your ass once this is over!”

She whirled around to stomp away, when she spotted Eld standing in a dark corner near the suite, obviously keeping guard.

“Good morning, Eren,” he greeted in a low voice, a grin tugging on his lips. "How did you sleep?"

“Fucking fantastic!” she threw her arms up in exasperation.

Ignoring the amused snickering from the Mafiosi, Eren stormed down the hallway, almost ran down the stairs to the floor where she and Mikasa were quartered and only stopped in front of their door. Taking a deep breath, Eren insert and turned the key as quietly as possible. She opened the door and slipped into the room cautiously, hoping that Mikasa was still sleeping soundly.

One second later she was greeted by the sight of Mikasa standing in front of her, body tensed and about to pounce, a dangerously sharp knife in her hands.

“Uah!” Eren yelped ungracefully at the sight of the weapon aimed against her.

“Oh, it’s you”, Mikasa stated calmly and stored the knife away. “Good morning, Eren. Have you slept well?”

Her lips tugged into a small smile, barely visible, but the glint in her eyes definitely gave away her amusement. Of coursed she had figured out immediately what had been going on between her brother and Eren. So that made two members of the mafia already knowing about Levi’s and her affair last night.

With a groan, Eren flopped down on her bed.

“’Morning,” she mumbled in return and dragged a hand over her face. “Fuck,” she added quietly to herself.

“Is everything okay?” Mikasa asked.

Again, Eren let out an unwilling grunt, which added just more to Mikasa’s concern.

“Eren, what happened?” she asked emphatically.

When Eren blushed, Mikasa sighed.

“Besides the obvious, I mean,” she deadpanned.

“I’m just pissed,” Eren explained and sat up again, running a hand through her hair.

“At Levi? Did he do anything stupid?” Mikasa asked alarmed, back straightening and shoulders tensing. “He might be my brother, but you know if he broke your heart or somethink like that, I’m ready to kick his ass”

The dangerous glint in Mikasa’s eyes sent a shiver of fear down Eren’s spine, and she hurried to put her hands up reassuringly.

“No no, it’s nothing like that. He did not break my heart,” Eren let out a nervous laughter.

_But maybe I broke Levi’s heart._

The sudden realisation hit her hard.

“I’m just… I’m mad at myself, I guess,” she explained, putting her hands down and staring into her lap again.

“Why?” Mikasa asked and finally relaxed her body language.

“Because I let myself go like that and let this happen! I got carried away just because he’s so damn… so damn…”

Mikasa cocked a brow, „Yeah?“

“You know what I mean!” Eren waved her hands around vaguely, causing Mikasa to laugh.

“You mean _hot_?”

Eren scrunched her nose at this, but didn’t object.

“I still don’t understand how that’s a problem,” Mikasa finally said.

“It’s not – it’s not professional, you know? I should focus on the task and the fucking fact that Levi’s still my target. If I get distracted like that, I might not be able to achieve my goals anymore.” Eren again ruffled her hair in frustration. “Besides, I’m still a special agent. How could I explain these events to the Scouting Legion if anybody finds out? It never should have happened”

“But didn’t you enjoy it?” Mikasa asked softly and sat down beside her.

“Jeez, you sound like Levi,” Eren puffed out her cheeks in frustration.

The woman beside her let out a soft laugh again.

“You didn’t deny it,” she said teasingly. “But I’m not surprised actually, it’s said he’s a very tender lover and that he's good between the sheets-”

“Mikasa!”

“Oh please, Eren,” Mikasa shrugged at the scandalized look she sent her. “We grew up in the underground. Things like that were not really a secret there”

“Eww," Eren made a face. “Whatever, it’s something I shouldn’t have done. I’m still a defender of the law and it’s my duty to catch him. It’s not acceptable to lo- I mean to … be like this with your target”

“Eren," Mikasa sighed. “You’re always so damn tense about this topic. And I get it, these things are really important to you. It’s great that you want to save the world, but please accept that it’s also okay if you first save yourself” Eren didn’t quite knew where Mikasa was getting with that, but she didn’t dare to interrupt her. The melancholic glint in her dark eyes told her that Mikasa knew what she was talking about. “This world is cruel,” she continued speaking, voice getting a bit firmer. “But it’s also very beautiful. Why not enjoy the good things in life while they last? Everything will come to an end eventually, so it doesn’t change a damn thing if you deny yourself what you want. Except that you might catch a glimpse of happiness for a while if you actually do what you want,” Mikasa looked up, straight into Eren’s wide eyes, voice solemnly. “So if it makes you happy banging my brother, then by all means, do it please”

Yep, she was definitely as blunt as Levi.

Eren needed a few seconds to let her words sink in.

“Your way of thinking is very unique," she finally said.

“It’s called logic,” Mikasa smiled at her. “Think about it, Eren, I’m sure you’ll come to a solution what’s best for you. But now we have to face an eventful day,” She stood up, still smiling down at Eren. “So get yourself together for now, pull on that confident smile of yours and get ready to get kick some asses”

 

\---

 

The breakfast had proceeded without an incident, the squad chattering around cheerfully like usually, and except for the few ordinary glances Levi sent her way, Eren felt almost normal between this bunch of criminals. Fortunately, Mikasa and Eld were keeping silent about what they witnesse dbetween them, and Eren was more than thankful for that. The last thing she needed now was Levi’s subordinates gossiping about them.

Shortly after they were finished, they headed out to get work started, and Eren was really curious on what Levi had planned for the day. Yesterday evening he had spoken of _“the usual, and then paying Reeves a visit_ ”. She didn’t need much fantasy to imagine what the latter meant, but what on earth was “ _the usual_ ”? Had they been often in this city, taking care of their business, without Eren as the leading investigator even noticing?

Whatever it was, she would see it now.

They drove with a big limousine again, dressed in more casual, but still expensive looking clothing. Eren had decided to just put on a white tanktop, completed by black pants that were tugged in heavy combat boots. This outfit was inconspicuous for the public, but still comfortable enough to attempt a possible fight with.

When they stepped out of the car, Eren noticed that they already had reached the infamous Underground of Trost, a district nobody should set a foot in if they had no allies in there. But the way Levi confidently strolled down the street after exiting the limousine, his squad surrounding him with serious expressions on their faces, looked like he fucking owned the damn place.

Eren tried to carry it off well and match the behaviour of the others, when she already noticed people staring at the group in awe. Some of them were peeping out of their windows, some standing on the streets in a respectful distance, whispering to one another. It was obvious that Levi was well known in this place, but nobody dared to approach him, beside nodding dignified at him or even bowing down when he passed.

They made their way through the old cramped streets, past run-down houses and ruins, contrasting to the few more modern mansions with men in suits in front of it. Even the guards dropped their gazes when Levi walked past them. This weird façade was kept until they reached a fairly rundown, but relatively big house at the end of an alley.

Levi stopped in front of the not really inviting door, turning to Eren.

“Okay, so what we’re going to do now will have nothing to do with the Titan case, we’re just reminding this pig Reeves over here to pay his debts,” he said to her, voice flat and business like. “Since you’re so damn focused on being a good little cop, I suggest you waiting here and not get involved”

Eren hesitated for a brief moment. Actually, she still wanted to absorb every information possible about their activities, but on the other hand he had a point. She was too deep in now, so it’d be better if she just stepped out of this one and focus on the Titans instead. After all, she still planned on returning to the Scouting Legion with a white vest, so it’d be best to be careful not to attend other criminal activities. So Eren just nodded, positioning herself at the wall across the street and crossed her arms.

The others went inside, except for Petra. She was the only one who remained outside with Eren, apparently to check the surrounding and scare off whoever would dare to come near the house. The woman might look petite and pretty, but Eren knew for a fact that she could kick asses without even blinking. And Petra would never hesitate to use her skills if it was to protect the Wings of Freedom.

She joined Eren and settled at the wall across the house, smiling at everyone that looked at them from a distance, but whoever made a step too close to their position received a dangerous glare. And nobody dared to challenge that. Eren glanced from Petra back to the entrance of the house.

“They’re not really gonna hurt him, are they?” she asked, staring at the colour on the closed shutters that was already peeling off.

She received a soft laugh, but as she looked back at Petra, Eren could see a sad glint in her eyes.

“Oh Eren, do you really want to know?”

Eren exhaled air out of her nose, leaning further against the wall for support.

“Maybe not”, she admitted quietly.

Petra watched her for a few moments, and as nothing came further from the agent, she disturbed the silence.

“So, how’s your time as a fresh gangster until now?” Petra asked and shifted her gaze back to the house.

Eren thought about it before she answered.

“Weird. And not what I thought in the least,” she replied honestly. “I admit, it felt more like a trip to vacation yesterday”

Petra let out a soft laugh, but Eren fell silent again. There was a question in the back of her mind, and the impulse to finally speak about this topic with someone was too urgent.

“Petra, can I … ask you a question?” Eren blurted out before she could stop herself.

“Sure,” came the simple response. Petra’s tone was friendly, curious even, and this encouraged Eren to go further.

“It’s … I wonder…” Dammit, it was hard to form the whirling thoughts in her head into a decent question. “I mean, what’s up with Levi and his fucking behaviour?”

Petra sent her an unreadable look, maybe a mixture between amusement and confusion.

“ _What?_ ”

“It’s just, why does he have to be so damn inappropriate? It’s like he is a horny dork all the time and has to pick up someone immediately, or he’s going to explode,” Eren huffed.

A strangeld sound came out of Petra’s mouth, maybe a laughter, but the agent continued. Now that she finally expressed these thoughts, she couldn’t stop herself. It all just flooded out of her mouth. Besides, Petra seemed to be really close to Levi, so maybe she was the one who could finally bring some clarity into the topic.

“I mean, why the effort? There are certainly many people trying to hit on him and he can choose from a bunch of potential partners without even lifting a finger. He’s rich and handsome,” a scoff escape Eren’s mouth, “and kind of a bad boy, I guess”

Now that was definitely a giggle that made its way out of Petra’s throat, but at the same time the woman sent Eren another weird look.

“There are,” Petra confirmed ominously. “But that doesn’t mean he takes them up on their offers…”

Her eyes thoughtfully stared into the distance as she trailed off.

“He doesn’t?” Eren asked surprised. “I mean, he seems to be a rather flirty guy-“

“God Eren, you’re really dense,” Petra cut her off, rolling her honey-coloured eyes. “He is when he’s with _you_ ”

Eren blinked owlishly at these words, uncrossing her arms in surprise. A little blush fought its way to her cheeks, but she decided to fuck it and go on.

“But he did it from the first minute we met!” Eren objected. “He doesn’t seem to be very … picky”

Petra sighed, as if it was obvious.

“That’s because Levi knows pretty fast what he wants,” she said. “And also, what he doesn’t want”

The last words were mumbled more quietly, almost if she had been speaking to herself, but Eren perked up her ears at that.

“What he doesn’t want…” she frowned in concentration as the words finally began to make sense. “Petra, did you…. Are you in love with him?”

The question was out before she could stop herself, and for a few moments both of them were silent. For some reason, Eren’s heart hammered in her chest, as if the answer to that question was really important to her. Petra sighed again, closing her eyes.

“… I was,” she said finally. “God yes, how I was. But he told me he’d respect me as a comrade and a friend, and that he’d entrust his life in my hands, but he didn’t feel the same.”

A hint of sadness, an old reflection of feelings long gone passed Petra’s features, and Eren felt a wave of sympathy for the woman. Honestly, she didn’t know what to say to this confession, it’d be pathetic to say “I’m sorry” when Eren didn’t even had an influence on the situation. Or… did she?

“And… now? Do you still love him?” Eren asked hesitantly, immediately noticing how inappropriate this question was. “I’m sorry, it’s not my place to ask something private like that…“

But why did she want to know so badly?

“It’s okay. I… I’m over him,” Petra said, a gentle look crossing her face. “He will always be someone special in my life, but I accepted that he doesn’t feel like that for me, and I moved on.” She smiled at Eren, apparently glad to finally found someone she could talk to about it. “It was hard at first, I told myself I could still win him over. But as I saw how he looked at you and how his face softened when he spoke of you, I realised it. I realised that love isn’t something you can convince a person of, and that it’d never be the same between the two of us, even if it wouldn’t work out with you two guys.” She leaned her head back at the wall, going back watching the entrance of the house. “Still, I hated you at the beginning, to be honest.”

Now Eren had to laugh, the apprehensive tension inside her fading.

“That's what I figured,” she said, a smile tugging at her lips. “Back at the harbour, I really thought you’d kill me”

Petra returned the smile.

“I wanted to,” she admitted snickering. “I’m sorry, I can get a bit protective when it comes to Levi. Or the rest of the squad,” she added. “And I was really pissed at you back then, even if you were not the one to blame. I’m sorry, Eren”

The last words were more firm, serious even, but Eren quickly waved her off.

“No, don’t be sorry. I didn’t quite like you guys, either,” Eren laughed softly. “I wanted to lock up all of you and preferably beat the shit out of your leader”

They both stood there, next to each other, grinning like they were talking about the latest gossip, until Petra spoke up again.

“And now?” she asked curiously. „How do you feel now?“

Eren puffed out her cheeks, frowning as she thought about it.

„I don’t know. It’s nothing like this anymore. Yesterday evening was so nice and I really had fun, besides planning a bloodbath for our enemies,” she said. Her face became thoughtful. “And I felt comfortable between all of you. It was as if…as if-“

“You’d belong there?” Petra helped out. “Yeah, for me it was the same when I was with the squad for the first time”

Eren glanced at her surprised.

“It’s weird, isn’t it? For a special agent to hang out with a group of gangsters, and to like them”, she said.

Eren had never reckoned with it, but this talk with Petra was making her feel better and better every second.

“It’s unusual, maybe, but it’s not weird,” the gangster said thoughtfully. “You’re allowed to change your opinions and preferences. Especially when you’re confronted with so many things happening in your life, and when you realise that your world maybe isn’t what you thought it’d be. You’re still young, so you’re slowly discovering the truth about things. Of course this makes you rethink some things in life”

Petra sent her a bright smile, “However, it’s important that you don’t lose your original goals out of sight, the ideals you want to fight for so badly. But somehow I got a feeling that this won’t happen to you,” she laughed softly.

They stood in comfortable silence for another few mintues, before the entrance door to the house finally was opened and Levi and the others stepped out into the dim sunlight.

Mikasa was just about to store a document as well as a suspicious looking purse in the inside pocket of her jacket, as her eyes flickered to Eren and Petra. The view of the two women standing next to each other in this relaxed habit somehow seemed to brighten her mood, and a small smile appeared on her face.

 

Not many words were spoken when they continued walking down the streets, and Eren’s curiousity on what would happen next just grew more and more. The atmosphere of the city got more depressing, the outworn fronts of the houses emitting a gloomy mood. The streets were getting dirtier, and Eren found herself wondering if even the sunlight didn’t dare to touch the abandoned track which was wriggling between the old buildings. There were less and less people on the street now, and when they saw the group of well-known gangsters approaching, they quickly made their way back into the entrances of their houses.

The team had gotten quiet by now, a strange silence sinking on them, and Eren couldn’t help shaking off the feeling that this place was somehow special. But in what way? What did they have to do here anyway? They clearly were out of place here with their neat and expensive appearances, except for their dark faces matching the gloomy atmosphere of their surroundings. Eren glanced at Petra and Günther next to her, but both had unfathomable masks put on their faces. They walked in a heavy, uncomfortable silence, till Levi suddenly slowed down and the whole squad came to an hold.

Everyone stopped, except for Mikasa who stepped forwards unwavering, a strange fierce look in her eyes. Eren suppressed the urge to reach out and grab her wrist, somehow not wanting her to go to wherever she was going. The whole scenario left a disquieting feeling in her guts, and she didn’t even know why. But she sensed that it was best to watch the spectacle silently like the others now, and these instincts were confirmed when Hanji stepped next to her, gently putting a hand on her shoulder.

“Just let them do,” the scientist whispered quietly, watching Levi and Mikasa disappearing into an old ruin in front of them, side by side. Eren couldn’t even call these walls a house anymore, big holes in the roof and soot-blackened stains made the building look uninhabitable. “It’s an important ritual for them to come back here once in a while”

Eren stared at the black door in front of them, wide eyes taking in the damages of the house. What did Hanji mean, coming back? This building had to be an important part of their past if they went inside alone, without the rest of the squad, with such impassive expressions. Eren tried to recall everything she knew about Levi’s past, but surprisingly, it was not that much. The only thing she knew was that he and Mikasa had been raised by Kenny Ackerman, living in poverty and criminality in the underground district of… Trost.

Eren’s eyes widened.

Could it be that this old ruin was the place they grew up, their former home? Whatever it was, the heavy silence kept on for several minutes. Nobody said a word, they all stood there quietly, staring off into the distance with a thoughtful expression on their faces. Eren felt a huge curiosity swell up inside her, but at the same time she understood that now was not the right time to ask questions, so she just stood there by Hanji’s side until they heard the door of the ruin being opened.

Mikasa was the first one to step outside, shortly followed by Levi. Both of them carried stonily expressions on their faces, and as much as Eren searched for it, she could not detect the usual glint of softeness in their eyes. They looked like something in them had just died a little, and it ached in Eren’s chest to see them both so lifeless.

Levi let out a sigh before he turned his gaze away from the house. He nodded at Eld who immediately began to lead the way outside of this alley, away from the depressing atmosphere.

Eren walked up next to Levi, not really knowing why. But she followed her instincts like always, and hoped it would be the right thing to do. Inconspicuously, so that nobody else would notice it, she brushed her hand against Levi’s. He looked up at her, eyes a little widened, but Eren’s gaze remained on the street as she intertwined their fingers, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. She could hear Levi taking a deep breath beneath her, and his grip around her hand tightened. Eren stroked his palm with her thumb a few times, before he visibly relaxed and losened his grip on her. Still looking nothing but forward, Eren gave him a last tiny squeeze and released his hand. Nobody had noticed their silent interaction when they parted again, Eren walking up to go side by side next to Mikasa again.

Though she felt his gaze boring into her back, she did not see the spark of life that had returned to his eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo what do you think of it? *hides under a blanket*
> 
> I thought about the morning after for so long, as some of you expressed their wish of Eren not freaking out on Levi and not break his dark little heart. And I can understand you so much, honestly (get your shit together, Eren!), but at the same time I can't see her throwing all of her morals overboard in one night and being all lovey-dovey with him, you now how stubborn she can be. So I tried to find a compromise, I hope you think it's fitting... What I wanted to say with this, is, your comments do have an impact on me writing this story, so let me now what you think on the character development! 
> 
> Also, somebody in for smut in the next chapter? 눈_눈


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our babies go out to have some fun at Black Sina, but they just can't keep their hands off each other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Who likes switching dominances in a sexual relationship? I, for one, so this is what you'll get here ヽ(゜∇゜)ノ
> 
> But before we will start chapter 14, I want to show you two wonderful christmas presents I got this year!  
> Wingsofffreedom_jeager drew a wonderful fanart of a [badass Eren](http://wingsoffreedom-jeager.tumblr.com/post/134139346549/my-crappy-ass-art-for-the-fanfic-catch-me) , probably about to arrest our charming mafia leader! (And dear god, do I love this!)  
> Aaaand I was blessed with another lovely [Eren](http://chevapravatdumrong.tumblr.com/post/135907117981/okay-okay-i-know-there-isnt-this-lame-ass-pun-in) by Beyza, this time with A FUCKING PUN I WISH I HAD THOUGHT OF EARLIER (well i screamed to you earlier about how i love it on skype, so I will keep it short here) (BUT KNOW THAT I LOVE IT OKAY)  
> Thank you so much for it, you two cuties, it touches me deeply to receive those wonderful art from you!
> 
> Aand now, before you start reading, I hope everyone of you had a wonderful christmas, and if you are not celebrating it I wish you a happy New Year, and if you have a different calender where you live and there is no New Year in the next days for you, I wish you a happy week or whatever! ヽ(゜∇゜)ノ I love you all, and thank you for your constant support!

After the confusing incident in the underground district of Trost they drove back to the hotel almost silently. Just the occasional bickering between Oluo and Petra at the end of the drive broke the weird atmosphere.

Eren shot a few glances towards Levi, wondering what went on in his mind. The mafia boss didn’t seem to be aware of her curious looks, and if, he at least pretended not to notice. Apparantly deep in thoughts, he looked out of the tinted windows of the limousine. Eren noticed the ever-present furrow of his brows, but beside that he looked better than before, in front of this odd ruin.

After they arrived at the hotel and refreshed themself, Levi ordered his squad to spend the rest of the afternoon with physical training. Eren could decide if she rahter wanted to join or rest a bit, but of course she wouldn’t miss the oppurtunity to exercise and watch the training methods of the mafia. And of course it was not because she wanted to see a shirtless Levi practicing marterial arts.

Still, it was quite a view.

When she opened the doors to the gym and entered the room, her gaze was instantly drawn to the mat in the middle of the room, where Mikasa and Levi were standing across each other, legs apart, ready to fight. Mikasa wore short trunks and a magenta sports bra, her fists clenched protectively in front of her chest. Levi on the other side was dressed in grey pants, showing off his amazing abs, currently tensed. His defense style was more casual. Eren didn’t know much about the different fighting styles as they had just learnt a mix of the most useful techniques at the Academy, but it seemed Levi was using one of the old asian marterial arts.

The moment they started to fight was the moment Eren almost dropped her jaw. She had known how strong both of them were, had heard the rumours about Levi’s fighting abilities and seen them herself at more than one occasion. But considering that Mikasa had almost the same impossible strength as her brother, the fight was more than intense. They both cut no slack, punching and kicking at each other without pausing, still able to not harm the other one in a serious manner. But despite Mikasa’s extraordinary techniques and inhuman strength, Levi was simply faster than her. With the experience and the flexibility of a fighter, his fierce body dodged her attacks more often, and in the next moment he was able to strike a blow at her. It was exciting to watch honestly, and it twitched Eren in the fingers to either jump Levi and run her hands across these ripped muscles at his back, or to deliver him a punch herself and see how he’d defend himself.

„Ah, Eren my dear!“, a cheerful voice sang next to her and tore her off her thoughts. Hanji had stepped to her site, her glasses pushed up and keeping her bangs from her face. She smiled brightly at Eren. „You wanna have a nice fight against me?“ the scientist asked with a mischievous grin.

„Hell yeah!“

 

\---

 

After three hours of training – and a surprisingly dirty fight with a cheeky Hanji – Eren and Mikasa returned to their room to get ready fort he party in Black Sina.

For a brief moment Eren panicked on what to wear. Usually things like that were not a problem for her, but she wasn’t the one for fancy night clubs anyway, and the fact that she just had the few clothing Nanaba und Nifa brought along didn’t make it any better. Eren was just about to ask Mikasa for a dress she could borrow, but then she noticed a familar pitch black dress at the bottom of her suitcase. She pulled out the silky clothing she got from Levi a few days ago and eyed it thoughtfully. Of course this dress would be the only one in possession of her that was suitable for a club like this in her luggage.

As if the smug bastard had planned all of this.

Eren tried on the dress, skeptically judging her appearance in the mirror. The fabric clung nicely to her body, emphasizing her athletice statur as well as her feminine curves, showing off her tanned shoulders, and Eren grinned confidently at her reflection. She’d never admit it out loud, but Levi had picked this dress well for her.

 

The club was located in the centre oft he city, and true to Petra’s words, it seemed to be fancy and extremely popular.

They were about to step out of the limousine when Eren received a text message. Eagerly she pulled out her phone, almost dropping it on the floor in the process. Ignoring the snort from Levi next to her, she read the SMS from the unknown number immadietly.

_„Your mom is still unconscious, but this afternoon she showed the first signs of waking up soon. Doctors said it still would take a few days, but she’s doing good. Will try to be here when she wakes up. Take care, A.“_

Eren’s whole face lit up as she read the text, her lips tugging into a huge smile.

„What’s up? You look like you’ve just taken the best shit of your life“, Levi said.

He loved the view of a happy Eren, but he was dying to know what or rather _who_ was able to lift her mood to this extent.

„Armin said mama is doing better, maybe she’ll wake up soon“, she beamed and showed him the message.

Levi just nodded, trying to appear casual while his heart almost made a flip at the thought of Eren trusting him enough to show him the SMS. _Almost_. He was a cruel and feared mafia leader after all, not some lovesick school girl.

Eren, too occupied with her own joy to notice Levi’s satisfied expression, quickly calculated how long they would stay in Trost. On the one hand she wanted to be with her mother when she would regain consciousness again, on the other hand she needed to be there when the Wings of Freedom crushed the new base of the Titans. If they stuck to their schedule, everything would be fine and they would be back in 4 days. Eren just hoped that it was enough time, and if not Armin was there to take care of her mother.

With that reassuring thought in the back of her mind, she tried to concentrate on their current activity. Going clubbing sure was not exactly a necessary task, but reliefing some stress couldn’t hurt either. Beside, Eren was dying to see how the mafia was networking in this city.

Shortly after that, the group stepped out of the luxurious limousine and looked at the entrance of the club. Eren marvelled at the classy front of it, a black building with colourfull lights, forming the words „Black Sina“. To accomplish the noble look the entrance was decorated with a red carpet, a ridiculous long queue of people waiting in front of the entrance. Eren sighed. It would take at least one hour until they’d get only near the doormen, and the chilly air wouldn’t help making the waiting time any more enjoyable.

But to Eren’s surprise the squad aimed directly fort he entrance, ignoring th partly jealous, partly awstruck stares from the people in line. When the doormen saw them they quickly made sure to open the doors wide for Levi, bowing at him and mumbling a few respectfull words that Levi bluntly ignored. The inside oft he club was nice, a modern and wide dance floor was already packed with people who were enjoying themselves and dancing around wildly. Eren had not much time to look at the partying crowd, as Levi already mentioned her and the rest of the team to follow him upstairs in a more private area. They were guided by a pretty brunette in a tight black uniform, and though the woman acted nothing but polite towards Eren, she found herself disliking the waitress already. The way she smiled at Levi and swayed her hips in front of his face when going up the stairs was just ridicolous. Eren wouldn’t be suprise if that girl tried to plant her ass on Levi’s lap as soon as he sat down.

And she was not the only one. Plenty of women- and even some men- were obviously trying to get the attention of the mafia leader, smiling flirtatoulsy in his direction while displaying their bodies in the most suggestive way possible. But it was as Petra predicted, Levi plainly ignored all of the attention and put on his perfect poker-face.

„And, how do you like it?“, his low deep voice reached Eren’s ear despite the loud club music.

She tore her stare from the back oft he brunette woman and looked at him. All these people admiring Levi from afar, and yet his soft gaze lingered on her face, focusing all of his attention on her. Eren felt something fuzzy and warm inside her.

„It’s cool“, she said, letting her fingers trail along the stair-rail. His eyes followed her movement. „I like the music, and the mood seems to be good“ They had reached the end oft he staircase now, and Eren let her gaze wander over the people still watching them. „Though I doubt you’ll have something like anonymity in a fancy place like that“, she added thoughtfully.

„Oh, this“, Levi’s eyes flickered to some of their observers as well „Don’t worry, these pigs staring at us might be a bit bothersome, but you’ll get used to it. They wouldn’t tell a rather useless secret at this point, they are rather too afraid of me or try to get my approval“

„Figured“, Eren muttered under her breath, but still Levi was able to hear it.

He quickly looked at her face, before his lips tugged into one of his rare smiles. They reached a round table surrounded by a cushioned bench in the centre of the platform, a few bottles of water and colourful menu cards standing on top o fit. And then the annoyingly flirty waitress turned to Levi who just sat down.

„Well Levi, is there something special“, she fucking had the audacity to flutter her eyelashes at him „I can do for you tonight?“

Eren had enough of her bullshit and decided to plop down in the seat next to Levi, sending the woman a challenging look as she casually swang her arm around Levi’s seat back. She knew her behaviour was childish, but Eren couldn’t help the glimpse of satisfaction spreading inside her as she saw Levi smirking next to her.

„You could hurry the fuck up and bring us the drinks already“ he looked up to the waitress again, not even blinking at the playful pout the woman send him.

„Nothing else?“

Jesus fucking Christ, that little shit was persistent.

„Nothing else“, he repeated in a bored tone.

After the waitress had disappeared with a sour expression, Eren snorted.

„What a charming Lady“, she drawled sarcastically.

By now the rest of the squad sat down as well, gathering around the small round booth.

„Indeed“, Levi answered with a sigh. „And she’ll not be the only one like this tonight“

He picked up one oft he small menu cards on the table, twirling it absently in his fingers. Eren sighed dramatically and threw her head back, resting her neck on the back of her seat.

„You mean you’ll have your own little fanclub by the end oft he night?“ she asked pondering.

„Well if you keep chasing them away like just now, it’ll actually help me a lot“, he said in a smug voice. „Maybe I should thank you“

Still having her head leaning on the backrest, Eren opened her eyes and shot him a quick glance. Had Levi been always this close or had he just scooted closer?

„There’s no need to thank me, I didn’t do anything“, she murmured and sat back normally.

„That’s bullshit and you know it, Eren“

Damn, he still had that smug expression on his face.

„Don’t know what you’re talking about“, Eren quickly responded.

Levi cocked one of his definded brows at her. „Oh come on, you acted jealous as fuck“

„I- I did not-"

„No need to get all shy and defensive now“ he purred. „The jealous lover suits you. I kinda like this“

„Shut up, I was not jealous“, Eren growled.

Even she noticed immadietly how she didn’t deny the lover’s part, but she couldn’t find it in her to correct herself now. Levi leaned in a little closer, eyes shining with mischief.

„Eren, your ears are crimson red“

Indeed, she could feel the heat rising up in her again, and it was about time to end this little whatever it was that they were doing.

„I said no teasing!“ Eren sent him a warning glare while she uselessly covered her burning ears. Levi was clearly amused by that, but he had the decency to lean back and leave her some space.

„Yeah, you know what, that doesn’t count anymore“, he stated, suppressing another smile. „You kinda quashed the rules when you fucked me last night, you know“

Eren opened her mouth to retort, but was interrupted by a quiet cough next to her. Looking up, she saw two women standing in front oft hem, watching them with small smiles on their faces. She had been so absored in the conversation with Levi that she didn’t notice them until now.

„What a fucking honour“, Levi deadpanned at the newcomers. „Nanaba and Nifa finally decided to grace us with their presence“

One of the women, a tall one with short blond hair, rolled her eyes at him. „Yeah, not our fault that you gave us some extra work, Levi“

Despite her harsh words her voice was soft and warm. Levi ignored the retort – Eren had the feeling he did this with a lot of rather sassy comments from his subordinates – and turned to the agent again.

„Eren: Nanaba, Nifa. Nanaba, Nifa: Eren“, he said plainly, pointing at the two women.

„Eloquent as always, Levi“, Nifa grinned, brushing one of her dark brown strands of hair behind her ear.

„Fuck you“, Levi replied non-chalantly and took the drink that the waitress brought him now.

She smiled sweetly at him again, but since the mafia boss ignored her, she went back on serving the drinks to the rest oft he gathered people.

„It’s a pleasure to meet you under these circumstances, Eren”, Nanaba smiled at the woman.

Eren returned the kind gesture, instantly feeling at ease with these two subordinates of Levi.

„Yeah, not when you’re chasing our asses or something like that“, Nifa added with a soft laugh.

Eren had to grin. „Thank you for bringing my clothes today“, she said.

She hadn’t see them, though, the luggage had been brought to their room while they were visiting the Underground of Trost.

„No problem”, Nifa replied. “Did you guys have a safe fly?”

Levi cocked a brow at such trivial small talk, but Eren didn’t care, she was glad about every interaction she could get with the members of the mafia. Every observation, even if it was just a small one, could be helpful for her investigations.

„Yes, it was nice and all”, Eren quickly said, trying to appear casual. “And you? You also came from Shiganshina airport?“

„Yes, we did. Everything was fine”, Nanaba nodded and sat down, Nifa next to her.

„And … why did you come later?” Eren asked innocently. “Got something to do?“

Apparantly she had been too forward, because Nanaba und Nifa exchanged a look, and Levi snorted.

„Eren, I think it goes without saying that you are not investigating us as long as we’re working together“, he chided, trying to hide his amusement.

„You just said the rules don’t apply anymore, didn’t you?“ Eren shot back unperturbed.

Levi’s lips tugged into a small smile, but before he could retort, Hanji came rushing to them and interrupted any kind of comeback.

„Stop bickering, you lovebirds“, she called out, taking a huge gulp from Eren’s drink, „Since these guys over there“, Hanji pointed accusingly towards Eld, Gunther and Oluo, “decided to be boring old men I need somebody to go dancing with me. Are you in?“

„Hell yeah!“ Eren exclaimed, eager to escape the thick tension between her and Levi.

Together with Mikasa and Petra she followed Hanji to the dance floor, a smell of sweat and alcohol invading their nostrils. Enthusiastically, Hanji grabbed Eren’s wrist and pulled her to the centre of the dance floor, and they began moving together to the rythm of the music.

Levi sipped his drink while he watched the girls disappearing into the crowd. He had enjoyed the verbal exchange with Eren just now, part of him had been afraid that things would be different in a weird way between them after the night they had shared together. When she had fled out of his bed this morning, he had been truly terrified. After all this pining and months of preparations, he had not thought she’d react this way. But the night had also shown him that there was no way of going back now. He was truly smitten by Eren, and the thought of not being able to see this cute frown and breathtaking smile of hers every day was hurting him. But the small gestures she had given him during the day gave him hope. Every glance from her, every words she addressed at him warmed his cold, impassive heart.

„Levi, man, I didn’t think I’d see you again this year“, a voice next to him tore him out of his thoughts.

A man with a ridiculous colourful cloth on his head stepped towards him, and Levi looked up to his friend Dieter. He was sure the club owner only hid his bald head under this head piece, and this was the only reason why he didn’t tell him that it looked like shit.

Still, Levi wasn’t much of a conversationalist.

„I sure as hell didn’t want to face your ugly rats nest this soon again“, the mafia boss said instead of a greeting.

Ness didn’t seem to be pertubed, he just laughed.

„Ah yes, I heard that the Titans are getting quite troublesome“, he answered and set down next to him, into the now empty seat of Eren.

Levi snorted. „Don’t sugarcote it, Dieter. They’re a fucking pain in the ass, as usual“

Ness grinned as he leaned back and crossed his legs.

„Well, what a lucky coincidence that you’re team got reinforcement then“, he said non-chalantly. „Agent Yeager, huh? Levi, you sly old dog …“

During the conversation Levi's eyes had never left the dance floor for too long, Eren was currently spinning around together with Hanji in their very own sort of tango. Both of them appearantely had never danced one before, but that didn’t stop them from laughing hysterically and obnoxiously loud. Levi sighed and desperately tried to keep his lips from tugging into a soft smile. What fucking dorks.

„Miller. Her covert name is Eva Miller for now“, Levi replied with an impassive face. „It’d be better if word about her being in my squad doesn’t spread around yet“

His gaze shifted warily towards Dieter, who clutched his heart in a fake hurt expression.

„Levi, please, you know your dirty little secrets are safe with me. And the visitors of my club are too afraid of your revenge to piss you off right now“

Levi nodded satisfied. „They’d better be“

The music changed to a slower electro song, and the girls went back to dancing normally and on their own. Levi’s eyes were glued to Eren’s body, swinging seductively with the rhythm of the music. He could have watched her all night long, but he also noticed hat he wasn’t the only one who had his eyes on Eren. There were too many drunken jerks drooling over her for his taste, so he quickly downed his drink.

Time to get his ass down in this fucking sweat-filled crowd.

„Oi guys, I’m going downstairs“, he informed Eld, Günther and Oluo as he pushed himself up.

Right on cue they also rose to their feet, ready to follow their boss everywhere, even if it meant that they were forced to dance.

 

Eren was having the time of her life in this club, and now she began to understand why Petra had been so enthusiastic about going here. She alternately danced with Mikasa, Hanji and even with Petra one time, occassionally also with some of the boys around her. But sooner or later they’d try to get touchy with her, and that was not what Eren was looking for tonight, so she’d politely but firmly push them away. To be honest, she had no idea what it was she was looking for tonight, but for now Eren just enjoyed the good mood in the club and the diverse music who adrenalized and calmed her down just in the right amount.

Just when another slow, but more lively electronic song was played, Levi and the rest oft he squad joined them on the dance floor. As subtle as possible Eren shot Levi a glance. He was moving along the music as if this was his natural habit. His motions were light, not comparable to the fancy, sweeping dance moves of the gogo dancers on top of the boxes, but his style was appealing in a non-chalant way.

They all danced together now, Hanji and Petra being the most outgoing ones as they twirled around the dance floor. Eren could feel Levi’s gaze on her more than once, and she couldn’t help it, now that she knew that he was watching her, her body felt electrified. She felt his eyes on her body, glued to her curves as she seductively moved to the beat of the music. Almost automatically they grew closer, attracted like magnets. Mikasa had long since left her side, but Eren didn‘t care. All she was able to see was the predatory look in Levi’s eyes, similar to the one he had while he fucked her seneseless the night before. He was like a damn wolf, and the little rabbit that she was, she found herself closing the gap between them.

„I didn’t know you are quite the dancer“, she said low.

Her arms instinctively flung around his neck, and Levi complied gladly, letting himself be pulled closer.

„What else am I supposed to do when there’s a crowd of jerks drooling over you while you let your guard down“, he whispered darkly back into her ear, his hands finding their way to her hips, resting on them smoothly as she swayed to the rhythm of the music.

Eren knew it was fucking stupid to fool around like this, but she just wasn’t able to resist. There was something about Levi that drew her like a bee to the flower. She had always been one to follow her impulse, and right now it told her to press Levi against her and mess around with him a bit.

„How about minding your own business and stop acting like a spoiled child“, she purred lowly. „I can take care of myself“

Levi’s eyes became darker, more hungry, and amused she noticed that he was not capable of looking away from her. She might have been in the mood to flirt and fool around, but still, there were some things Levi needed to understand. Whatever would happen between them, she was a free person, and the last thing she needed was an overprotective guy watching her every step all day.

And to her suprise, Levi really seemed to understand.

„I know“, he said over the loud music, brows knitting together in concentration. „I’m sorry“

Eren sent him a bright smile at this earnest apology. „See, that wasn’t this hard, was it?“

For a brief moment, Levi stopped dancing, looking at Eren with wide eyes.

„What’s wrong?“ she asked, smile growing wider.

One song turned into the next one, and Levi started to dance again, Eren still in his arms.

„Ugh, don’t do that to an old man’s heart“, he grumbled and buried his face into her shoulders.

„Last night you didn’t strike me as an old man“, she purred suggestively into his ear.

The sound of her voice went right down into his groin, and he had to take a deep breath to restrain himself from pulling Eren with him and fucking her in the nearest cleaning closet. He was aroused enough, just looking at her, but how was he supposed to deal with a flirty Eren? He was going to have a heart attack by the end of the night.

Still, she wasn’t the only one who could play like this.

„Oh“, he whispered in return. „I’ll take that as a compliment“

A deep guttural laugh escaped Eren’s throat, and Levi automatically pulled her closer. Eren didn’t complain, and Levi took this as a good sign. He was well aware that there were at least a dozen eyes on them, but he didn’t care. If it meant that he could be this close to Eren for the whole night, than he didn’t mind.

The song changed again, yet still Eren didn’t detach from Levi. For one evening she didn’t want to think about the consequences of her behavior, about their complicated relationship, and to be honest she had too much fun to just end the night yet. Because this much was clear: she wouldn’t be able to just dance there without Levi. As long as he was there, beside her, she was drawn to him.

They just fitted together perfectly, their hips swaying in a completely sycnhrone way, chests pressed flush together. Eren was very aware of his hands resting firmly on her hips, sending jolts of electricity through her body every so often, but never wandering down further. Oh how badly she wanted those hands to wander down.

She looked at him, fascinated once again by his handsome feature. It was stupid, really, and maybe superficial, but goddamnit, she could eat him up. This strong jawline, sternly knitted eyebrows in contrast to this adorable cute snub nose… Eren shook her head slightly.

Levi had noticed her gazing off and his lips tugged into a smirk.

„Tired already?“, he asked, eyes shining with dark passion.

Eren needed a few moments to comprehend what he just said, so distracted had she been by these intense silver orbs.

„No“, she quickly blinked. „I’m … I’m having fun“

„Is that so“, Levi murmured in this dark voice of his. „Then what about having some more fun?“

His face drew closer, dangerously close. She knew it was stupid, so fucking stupid to go along with this-

„Yeah?“ she whispered breathlessly, their noses already touching each other. „And what kind of fun could that be?“

„Let me show you“, was all Levi said before he pressed his lips on hers.

Even if Eren hadn’t been thinking about this for the whole evening, she wouldn’t have been able to pull away from him. It was as if the night before had never endend, the now familiar magic between them was there again immediately. Eren forgot the world around her, didn’t hear the loud music anymore, didn’t see the sweaty bodies that moved next to them. All that mattered was their kiss now, how Levi’s body was pressed flush against hers, how his tongue entered her mouth, gently caressing hers. She clung tighter to him, reciprocated his actions with the same passion, biting his lower lip and pulling it playfully between her teeth.

She felt how he was slowly losing his patience, the way his hands grabbed her hips more firmly, eventually moving down to her butt. Eren leaned into the touch on instinct, enjoying the tingling feeling it sent through her body, but she suddenly remembered all the people surrounding them. And if it went on like this, they sure as hell wouldn’t limit it to dancing.

„Levi“, Eren murmured against his lips. „Not here!“

A deep frustrated grumble escaped his chest, and Eren had to giggle.

„You can’t turn me on like that and then drop me like a hot potato“, his brows furrowed in frustration, but his hands went back to softly caressing her hips.

„But everybody can see us“, Eren laughed softly, leaning her forehead against his.

Even in the scattered light in the club she could see the lust swimming in his eyes, captivating her own gaze.

„We could go somewhere private”, she suggested with a cheeky smile.

Eren could see one last flash of lust in his eyes before Levi already turned around and pulled her through the crowd. He guided them through the club incredibly fast, and Eren could swear she heard Hanji giggling somewhere despite the loud music, when Levi suddenly opened a plain, almost invisible door in the wall and pulled Eren with him. She just had the time to make out a long hallway with golden wallpaper and a small cupboard on the other side, before Levi closed the door and pushed her against the wall. Eren gasped, her mouth soon covered by his lips.

„Where… where are we?“, she managed to ask in between his rough kisses.

„The hallway to Dieters business rooms“, Levi hurried to say, not able to keep his mouth from her lips for too long. „Don’t worry, nobody will interrupt us here, and the cameras can’t reach this corner“

There was no restrain in his movements, just pure hunger and lust. Almost roughly he grabbed her face, holding her in place as he pushed his tongue inside her. Eren didn’t mind the roughness in his actions, in fact it turned her on even more, and soon she was biting his lower lip in an equally animalistic manner, clinging to his shoulders even more. Levi groaned, returning the gesture immediately. They kissed and bit and roamed their hands over each others body as if their life depended on it. Soon enough Eren’s hands were slipping underneath his shirt, and Levi’s hands were pushing up her dress as well, eager to touch the soft skin underneath it. He explored every one of her curves, his fingers slightly trembling as he felt goose bumbs underneath it.

Levi placed heated little kisses on her throat and squeezed the cheeks on her butt, causing Eren to moan softly. These sounds were driving Levi mad, threatening to take his sanity with him while he would fuck Eren senseless, just to relish in the little cries and whimpers she let out. He breathed heavily, trying to get a grip on reality again. He needed to get his shit together, or else his dark side would take control of him, his inner demon ready to take Eren apart.

Levi’s mind was way too clouded by the breathtaking kisses, by the way her body felt underneath his fingertips, and this sweet noise of hers was pushing him over the edge. He was long since past the point where he was able to take things slowly with Eren, because _goddamn_ , this woman was turning him on like no one ever did. He pressed his lips in open-mouthed kisses on her throat, relishing in the soft moans Eren made. He felt her back arching into his body, and a low groan escaped his mouth at the friction.

„I could devour you right on the spot“, Levi whispered darkly, his nails digging slightly into her lower back.

Eren trailed her own fingers along his jawline, slightly panting, and looked him straight in the eyes.

„Then why don’t you do it”, she dared him breathlessly.

Levi’s self-restrain flew right out of the window as he heard these words, and in a swift movement he had flipped her over, pushing Eren with her chest against the golden wall, pressing himself against her back. Eren was so surprised by this action that it took her breath away for a moment. She felt his broad chest against herself from behind, and his hot breath against her neck, the sensation making her already dizzy. Fuck, if it went on like this, she sure wouldn’t last long.

„Levi-", she whispered, but the feeling of his lips pressed against her neck draw out a low whimper, letting her forget what she was about to say.

„Hm?“, he hummed teasingly in response, and Eren could feel the deep rumble in his chest.

She could smell his clean scent, and when his fingers went back to carressing her sides, her brain finally turned into mush.

„Touch….touch me“, she begged, her sense of shame long gone.

„If you insist…“, Levi murmured darkly behind her, sliding his hands underneath her dress again, gliding along her stomach.

His teeth scratched lightly over her throat, elicating another moan from Eren, and when his fingertips danced higher to carress her breasts, she involuntary arched her back. Due to Levi’s wandering hands, the fabric of her dress rode up, leaving her ass only covered by a thin slip, so the rough material of his pants scratched her butt cheeks lightly. Not only that, but the bulge underneath it pressed hard into her from behind.

„See what you’re doing to me, Eren?“, Levi whispered and rubbed himself firmer against her.

The only answer she was able to give him was another gasp, but he didn’t seem to mind. While his one hand kept kneading the sensitive flesh of her breast, his other hand wandered down south, and Eren could barely suppress a series of needy moans. She felt herself already craving his touch, and even if he was just carressing her and pressing right against her, this wasn’t enough.

She needed more of him, immediately.

Slowly, ever so slowly, his fingers ran down past her abdomen, rubbing firmly between her legs. She couldn’t help it, Eren let out a long moan as she leaned into his touch, being rewarded with a low laugh next to her ear.

„I really tried to keep away from you today, Eren” his breath caressed the shell of her ear, “But you’re making it damn hard for me to resist”

His hand continued rubbing her through her panties, while occasionally tugging at the soft fabric in a teasing manner. Eren bit her lip, she had been in this hallway with him for not even 5 minutes, and she was already a mess again.

Goddamnit.

“Oh, look at this”, Levi continued teasing her as his hand slipped into her underwear, caressing her ever so gently. “You’re already dripping wet”

Her vagina felt on fire with his soft touches, and Eren had to support herself shakily against the wall, or else her knees would have buckled under her from the pleasure rushing through her veins. Levi apparently noticed her little problem and pressed closer to her, providing some kind of support for her body. On the other side, he reinforced his attempts to make her moan, slipping one of his finger inside her, and Eren could swear he was the devil himself. Noone was supposed to be that good with only his hand, yet here she was, panting like an animal in heat. Levi’s finger was slowly teasing her insides, curling just a bit before he continued to move it in and out.

“Hnngh”, Eren bit her lip to muffle the ineventable moan escaping her mouth, but Levi seemed to have other plans.

He added another finger, intensifying the pace of slipping inside and out, while his thump gently caressed her clitoris, causing Eren to whimper.

“Don’t do this”, he breathed softly into her ear. “I wanna hear your voice”

This and the feeling of his lips wrapped around her earlobe, tongue probing at her sensitive shell, was enough for her to throw all of her fucks out of the window. She just couldn’t contain the lustful noises rolling from her lips, and when Levi’s upper hand slipped under her bra to give her breast a firm squeeze, Eren’s loud moans filled the little hallway. Levi’s hands gripped her more tightly, fingers stimulating her skilfully in a fast pace, and Eren was trembling by now. The pleasure was just too overwhelming, mind becoming dizzy while her fingers curled into the wallpaper, desperately grabbing for hold.

Levi was clouded by lust as well, turned on by the moaning mess Eren had become under his touches, and by the hot body underneath him. His pants were painfully tight, his cock yearning for attention, but he wanted to focus on Eren first, wanted to make her cry out his name while she came. Still, he was pushed to his limits with her moaning like this, so he involuntary pressed harder against her back, rubbing his crotch against her naked butt.

Oh, what the sight of this plump, luscious ass did to him. He let out a groan, his mind filled by images of what he could do to that ass in the future. Levi was rock-hard as it was, and as he felt Eren pressing back at him, intensifiying the friction on the bulge in his pants, he almost creamed himself.

“Levi…”, Eren moaned low, already on edge.

The fire inside her was unbearable, his fingers definitely not enough in her throbbing crotch, but at the same time she knew she wouln’t last longer. Completely lost in his tight embrace, his hands on her nipples and between her legs, his hot breath in her neck, and not to forget the proof of his own desire rubbing firmly against her from behind.

“Come for me, Eren”, Levi whispered in an almost commanding tone, and that was what pushed her over the edge.

A firework of warmth spreaded in her lower stomach, sending waves of joy through her body, making her whimper his name over and over again, while Levi continued rubbing her womanhood, matching his pace with the twitching of her hips, caressing her through her orgasm.

Eren needed more than a few seconds to come to her senses again, feeling the cold mural pressing against her forehead. She was still breathing heavingly, trying to control her rapid heartbeat. Behind her, she could hear Levi panting as well, his erection still evident in his pants, but he had stopped moving against her, giving Eren time and space to calm down after her high. Though he must horny as fuck by now, he did nothing to satisfy his own desire right now.

And that was when a thought came to Eren’s mid.

This was the second time he gave her a breathtaking orgasm (the ones in her wet dreams about him not included), so she wanted him to feel good as well. It wasn’t even a rational decision, more one of her primary instincts as she turned around to him, pulling him close and giving him a long, slow kiss. Levi was more than happy to comply, meeting her lips with a desperate fever, but Eren kept the pace slow. She had all the time in the world now to get back at him for teasing her like he did, and god, she would enjoy this.

She tugged at his hair slightly, and after Levi groaned into the kiss, she knew what she needed to do to him, to hear more of these downright sinfull noises. In a delicate slow move she pressed against him, letting her hands glide down his sides, caressing his hips just as he had done before on the dance floor. Levi responded with a soft moan, trying to pull her closer, but Eren wouldn’t let him have his way. Giving him a cheeky smirk, Eren detached from Levi, satisfied by the longing glint in his eyes. The view of the mafia leader being this helpless, dependend on her mercy, was the best thing she’d ever seen.

Eren kissed him deeply once more, just to surprise him in the next moment and change their positions. She pinned Levi against the wall, breaking their kiss to look at his face. His cheeks were flushed, pupils dilated, staring hungrily at her.

“Eren”, he breathed out, his voice full of affection despite the desperate state he was in. “What are you-“

Levi couldn’t speak further, the low groan that escaped his throat as Eren placed openmouthed kisses on his neck interrupted him. She enjoyed the way he became puddy in her fingers, and now she also understood why Levi was having so much fun teasing her all the time. Encouraged by his heavy breathing, Eren began to nibble on the thin skin of this throat harshly, while her hands roamed down his defined torso.

“You had your fun, and now I’m going to have mine”, she whispered into his ear and pressed her hand against the bulge in his pants.

Levi moaned, leaning into her touch and clinging to her desperately. Eren continued massaging his huge erection through the fabric of his pants, enjoying the way his cheeks flushed, lips parted in heavy breathing. After she decided that she had teased him enough, his neck already filled with red and blue marks, lust-filled eyes begging her to give him some sort of relieve, Eren slowly unbuckled his belt. His eyes widened in realisation of what would happen now, and she sent him a cheeky grin as she dropped to her knees.

Levi’s heart was already beating wildly, but as he saw Eren crouching down before him, he could swear it did a somersault. There he was, in the backroom of his friend’s club, the woman he loved in front of him about to do that one thing he dreamed of in his filthiest fantasies. He felt his pants being pulled down, Eren’s fingers gripping the waistband of his boxers, tugging it down as well, until his erection sprang free.

Eren grinned up at him as she saw the precum glistening on his tip, and he was helt captive by the intense fire burning in her eyes. Levi wasn’t able to say anything, all of his cocky behaviour from before gone, as he watched fascinated how Eren wrapped her hand around his cock and focused all her attention on the upcoming task. Even the few lazy strokes she gave him made him groan in pleasure, and as he felt her tongue licking his shaft slowly, he had to restrain himself from jerking his hips forward. Eren felt Levi’s struggle to keep still, so she put one of her hands firmly against his hips, keeping him in place. The other still wrapped around his base, she finally opened her mouth to take him in.

The groan she was rewarded with showed her that he wouldn’t last long, so Eren gave up the teasing pace. She took as much as she could, and after she felt that her mouth was full, she swirled her tongue around him. Levi tasted salty and a bit bitter, but nevertheless it was a pleasant sensation to have him inside her this way. Especially with all the delicious noises he made while Eren worked his cock, and with his gaze full of lust and desire staring at her. Levi was completely on her mercy here, willingly giving up every control of the situation, and Eren would make sure to reward him for that. She moved her lips up and down the thick shaft, filling the room with obscene smacking noises, mixed with Levi’s moans and cries of pleasure.

“E-Eren”, he panted shamelessly, burying his hand in her soft locks, while he supported himself on the wall with the other.

She just hummed in response, relishing in the tightening of his grip on her head, while she slipped the throbbing cock out of her mouth. Locking gazes with him, she began to softly play with his balls, first gracing her fingertips over the sensitive skin, before her tongue licked skilfully on it. Eren felt him tremble under her attention, and a small sadistic side in her cheered at this. Lustfully, she sucked at his balls, one after another, while her fingertips caressed Levi’s perineum. She felt him twitching at the sensation, knees beginning to tremble.

“Shit”, he hissed between gritted teeth, obviously trying to hold back.

Eren grinned at him deviously before she returned her attention back to Levi’s throbbing cock. Teasingly, she licked the head before she slipped her tongue into his small slit. Levi let out another loud groan, involuntary tightening his grip on her hair. Little curses rolled from his lips as Eren went back to move her lips up and down his thick shaft. He desperately tried to not buck his hips up, to remain a tiny bit of control while turning into a moaning mess. But Eren’s warm mouth, her plump lips and skilfull tongue were just too much for him to take, and when he glanced down again, watching the beautiful sight of this woman devouring his cock, Levi felt the familiar heat pooling in his stomach.

“Fuck”, he panted breathlessly. “Eren…you’re so… I’m so close…”

He thought she’d to let go off him and maybe, if he was lucky, finish him off with her hands, but he certainly didn’t expect her humming in agreement, burrying her fingers into his ass while she increased her pace of licking him. Eren couldn’t help it, she had to stare up in Levi’s beautiful flushed face, locking gazes with him when she managed to take an inch more of him. Seeing him that utterly wrecked was not only a huge satisfaction to her, it also caused a warm feeling to bloom inside her chest. When the man groaned one more time, throwing his head back in pleasure, she knew she had him.

Another swirl of her tongue and she felt the hot, salty liquid filling her mouth. Eren tried to swallow every last drop of it, milking Levi through his orgasm, while the man was still moaning her name.

It needed a few seconds for him to calm down again, to get his brain to function properly, but as Levi came to his senses he was greeted with the sight of Eren standing up again, wiping her mouth one last time with the back of her hand. She looked at him with big green eyes, and under the bright light of the hallway Levi was able to spot the familiar pecks of turquoise in it. He swore his poor old heart skipped a beat when she grinned at him, licking her lips.

“Wow”, was all he could mutter out, still staring wide-eyed at her.

Eren’s grin widened.

“I know”, she sassed and tipped her finger on top of his nose before she stole a quick kiss from him.

Damn, could this woman get any cuter?

Levi took a deep breath to calm his racing heart.

“Give me a minute before we go back out there”, he said as he zipped up, trying to avoid her gaze because _god fucking dammit_ , Eren still had a mischievous glint in her eyes and Levi just couldn’t take it.

“Sure thing, old man”, Eren said amused and leaned at the wall across from him.

She relaxed against the cold mural and couldn’t hold back the smirk as she saw how Levi was still a bit out of breath, supporting himself against the wall. She felt high on adrenaline as well, but since her orgasm was already a few minutes ago, she had had the time to calm down. Somehow the sight of a flustered, wrecked Levi was turning her on even more, the thought that she was the one who did this to the ever composed little grump satisfying her deeply. And she could tell that he was still captivated by her, the way he glanced up to meet her eyes, hands tightening around his crossed arms. Eren just grinned back, trying to appear as innocent as possible as she shifted against the wall, shifting the weight of her body on her right leg, cocking her hip in the process. She crossed her arms as well, and the fact that she pushed up her breast with that of course was involuntary, but the way Levi gulped at that made her almost snicker.

“If you continue this, I’ll jump your bones in two seconds”, Levi growled in a dark voice.

Eren considered the promising thought for a moment, before she decided against this. Though she had fun being playfull around Levi and teasing him like this – _a lot of fun_ , to be honest – she felt a little worn out by their previous actions.

“Then let’s go to the others again”, she detached herself from the wall, almost laughing at the frown on Levi’s face.

She smiled, offering her hand at him.

“Are you coming?” she asked amused as he stared at her for a moment.

“’Course”, he muttered, but Eren didn’t miss the small tug upwards at his lips as he took her hand and followed her to the loud dancefloor.

They squeezed through the crowd of moving bodies, this time Eren leading the way to their group. Though there was still a mass of dancing people, it was thinning out slowly, given the late time. Eren soon found a lively Hanji and a _very_ drunk Petra in the middle of the dance floor. Oluo was still there as well, looking as if all of his dreams had come true with Petra dancing and giggling uncontrollably in his arms. Eren grinned at the sight, and also Levi had a soft expression on his face as he beckoned them to come over.

“Okay you drunk brats”, Levi said, but his warning glare at a slightly swaying Petra going wasted as his subordinate smiled brightly at him. Levi sighed defeated, not able to be mad when he saw his friends this happy. “I’ll call the driver now, I can’t stand this stinky trash can of a club anymore”

Eren rolled her eyes at his exaggeration – clearly he had enjoyed the evening as well – but Hanji beat her with a retort.

“Just because _you_ ’ve got what you’ve wanted, we all have to go now”, she muttered behind her boss, maybe not as quiet as she had intended to. “That’s unfair”

Eren couldn’t hold back a laugh at this, but Levi glared annoyed at Hanji.

“Well I’m not insisting on your refreshing company in the limo, feel free to stay and go back by bus in the morning, shitty glasses”, he grumbled.

“Nooo, I wanna join you in the limo”, Hanji quickly whined and clutched onto a surprised Eld.

Levi rolled his eyes, but said nothing as he went towards the exit of the club.

It was just as she was tugged gently forwards that Eren noticed they were still holding hands. Somehow it had felt so natural that she didn’t even notice in the club, and now she sure didn’t wanna let go for some odd reason. A few people in the club watched them leaving, one of them the pushy waitress from before. It took a lot of effort from Eren to suppress a confident grin they passed her.

Outside of Black Sina the driver was waiting with the limousine, and Eren briefly wondered if the poor guy had to wait there all night long. He hurried to open the door for them, Levi slipping in first, and Eren following after, settling in the seat next to him. The drive flew by with light chattering from the others, but Eren and Levi remained mostly silent, glancing a few gazes at the other from time to time. Never did their hands part, and though the others surely noticed, everybody was decent enough to not mention it. Eren was very aware of Levi’s presence next to her, his thigh brushing against her knee every so often due to the small seats. She suppressed the need to touch him again, not wanting to show that level of affection in front of the others.

When they stepped out of the car, wandered down the lobby of the hotel and said goodnight to each other, it became clear to Eren that she didn’t want to part from Levi yet. She hesitated first, but as they stood in the hallway, Levi giving her a questioning look as if to ask if she would come up with him, a deep and calm peace came over her.

Suddenly she knew what she had to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I'm searching for a new beta-reader since my old one has no time anymore, so if you are interested, please message me! Most important thing would be that you are good at english grammar (so native speaker or similar level would be great) and orthography, because well... you read my texts, you probably noticed where I have problems xD Also, you should be reliable - like you don't need to be super fast, and it's okay if you can't do it one time, as long as you communicate with me ^^ so if you still think it would be cool to be my beta, (aka you are not put off by this little wall of a text), please leave me a message here or on skype (my name there is punkermietz)!  
> EDIT: I found one, thank you all for your offers! ヽ(゜∇゜)ノ
> 
> So, that was it for 2015! Wow, despite my slowliness we've come a long way with the story, and I can't wait to write the next part! My january will be cramped with work again though, so it might take some time for me to answer and write more, but as always, I am determined and will do my best! ヽ(゜∇゜)ノ


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY they talk about their feelings. Or at least, try to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I know I wanted to update in February, after my exams, but then I got pretty sick and had to study for all the exams again (FUCKING FUN, I tell you) and after that I was a bit burned out. My health was pretty shitty the over last months, but this time it is actually because of pretty awesome reasons *pets her growing belly lovingly* 
> 
> Because yes, in a few days we’re gonna have a little punk more in this world, so I’m not sure how much I can write after that – the cute little shit will have my full attention - but I’ll do my best! 
> 
> But before you start to read the new chapter, I received awesome fanart again!
> 
> First one is from the wonderful faziee, our two babies having [a staring contest](http://punk-mikasa.tumblr.com/post/137429404040/faziee-a-sketch-i-did-when-i-was-thinking-an) with so much sexual tension ヽ(‘ ∇‘ )ノ  
> Somehow I didn’t see it before, even if it is almost a year old D: So if I ever do not respond to a fanart you’ve drawn for this fic, consider me too stupid to find it and shoot me a message so I can tackle you down in a Hanji-like hug! So, thank you Faziee, this is how I pictured their dynamics in my head!
> 
> And if you wanna see my current phone background, see this [awesome fanart](http://punk-mikasa.tumblr.com/post/137430606130/sushiranger-oops-a-sketch-that-got-too-far-i) by sushiranger  
> It's just... I can't even find the words for how much I love this pic! <333
> 
> So, now you may go ahead and finally read the mess I produced!

It was an odd thing, really.

Weeks and months she had fought against this, against the warm feeling that took a hold on her whenever she looked at Levi, but now she had no doubts anymore. She wanted to be with Levi, to spend time with him, to listen to his smooth voice and feel his warm embrace.

There was no point in denying herself the pleasure anymore, so she would allow herself the fun with Levi tonight.

He still stood there, a silent plea visible in his eyes, and when Eren smiled at him and slowly nodded, she could swear his face lit up. Of course, in the next moment he was his usual stoic self again, but a faint glint of happiness shimmered in his eyes as he gently tugged her forwards.

“Let’s go to the roof first,” Levi said casually and led her to another elevator, one that didn’t seem to be for normal hotel guests. He stuck a small key from his pocket into the keyhole of the elevator and pressed the right floor. “The view is fucking awesome, and I could use a cigarette.”

It wasn’t hard to notice the stern look Eren sent him, and he cocked a challenging brow at her as the elevator began to rumble upwards.

“Don’t give me any bullshit on how these things are unhealthy,” he said before she could open her mouth. “I’m not stupid.”

“Apparently you are if you know it and still smoke them,” Eren shot back, almost grinning at the way Levi’s brows crunched up at her retort.

“Don’t think my informants wouldn’t have told me about all your drunk escapades in the clubs with your Scouting Legion buddies in the last months. Alcohol is as toxic as cigarettes are,” he muttered, not able to speak with real malice.

When they reached the top floor, they stepped through a small corridor, finding themselves soon enough at a heavy iron door.

“You know it’s really creepy that you set your informants to watch me in the first place, don’t you?” Eren deadpanned, while Levi opened the door with another key and lead them out onto the roof.

But it didn’t look like the ordinary dirty roof Eren had expected, indirect lightings and a few oversize bushes in plant pots giving the place a rather comfy feeling. It was more of a roof garden than anything else.

“I’m leader of a mafia; I am informed about everything that goes on in the city,” he said as he stepped towards the handrail, leaning nonchalantly against it and pulling out a cigarette, before he lit it up. “Of course I have an eye on my enemies as well as my friends.”

Levi took a deep breath from the cigarette and puffed out the smoke into the air, careful not to let it waft anywhere near Eren. But the woman was too busy admiring the view to notice anyway. Big skyscrapers, bright lights and the sounds of the never sleeping city surrounding them made Eren’s heart beat faster for some reason. She felt the life that pulsated through this city, drunk in the atmosphere before she looked back at Levi.

The man had been watching her, not giving one single fuck about the view in front of them. Eren swallowed, and finally gathered the courage to ask him that one question that had been bothering her for the past few days.

“And which part of this am I?” she asked quietly, her eyes flickering back to the rushing traffic below them. Hell, she was a badass agent, not hesitant to jump in and risk her life; yet when it came to such talks, she couldn’t help the feeling of nervousness and embarrassment boiling up in her. “Friend or enemy?”

A low laugh next to her made her look up again, locking gazes with Levi. Her heart was beating wildly, and the intense look in his eyes was not making it any easier for her.

“Don’t tell me you finally began to question our forever lasting enemyship?” he retorted in a flat tone, not helping her at all.

Eren frowned, sending him what she believed was a firm glare; but in reality, Levi found her pout incredibly cute and endearing, though he wouldn’t say _that_ out loud.

She opened her mouth to reply. “Don’t be a fucking smartass; it is hard enough for me as it is, okay?”

Levi suppressed another smirk and took a deep drag from the cigarette instead. He exhaled the smoke contently before he answered.

“I think you already know my answer to that, Eren,” he said. “The real question is, what do _you_ think we are?”

His eyes held her gaze; he was really curious now on how she would answer. The city underneath them had long been forgotten, as had the dark night sky with even a few stars twinkling above them.

Finally, Eren seemed ready to talk about her feelings, to not run away anymore, and he wouldn’t let this chance slip.

“Why did you send me flowers back then?”

Levi’s shoulders slouched down. Okay, still no answer, but at least they were talking about the topic, from Eren’s initiative even. That was a step forward.

“Why do you keep hitting on me when you could have anyone in an instant?” she asked further, leaning a bit closer as to catch every glimpse of reaction on his face.

“Way to dodge the question,” the mafia leader muttered.

“Levi, I’m serious! Answer me!” Eren demanded as she threw up her hands in that adorable way, like she always did when she was frustrated. “Why do you keep hitting on me when you know you could have anyone around you in seconds? When you could have perfect and willing women like Petra?”

“She told you.” It was a statement, not really a question.

“Seems I’m not the only one trying to avoid giving answers here,” Eren grumbled.

This talk was not going how she had imagined it would. Then again, she had not really planned when she would finally talk with Levi about it; she had just acted on mere instinct like always. He noticed her slightly frustrated face and turned around, leaning against the rail with his back.

“Okay, you really wanna know? You think you’re ready to hear the fucking truth?”

He shot her a challenging stare, which Eren naturally only knew one reply to.

“Of course!” she called out determinedly, not even noticing how her fists curled around the cold handrail in anticipation.

Levi sighed and tilted his head at the neck, looking up at the dark sky.

“It’s because I fucking love you, Eren,” he confessed, and when her eyes widened, he just continued on. “I fell in love with you during the first few weeks after we met, and it only grew worse when you kept wiggling yourself into my life with that damned determined wish to fight me.” Levi turned to face her again. “The flowers and the gun and all those messages I sent you? That was the underground way of courtship. I now know this is not what you’re used to, but in the world I grew up in, it’s the official way of wooing your future spouse. Buying them presents and shit.”

Eren needed a few seconds to digest all she was hearing.

She thought about the countless flirtatious messages she had received from the mafia leader. Sure, after some time she had started to realise that Levi really did have a soft spot for her, but love…? And even worse, did she just hear the word _spouse_?

“Eren, I knew this was maybe a bit too much for you and also not what you wanted in life,” Levi said softly, noticing her troubled expression, “and after I realised it, I stepped back and kept it low, so that you wouldn’t feel uncomfortable.”

Now this tore Eren out of her thoughts and made her snort. “That’s an odd thing considering how you still bombarded me with packages and text messages,” she retorted, furrowed brows betrayed by the soft smile that tugged at her lips.

Levi smirked at her, seeing that Eren was relaxing again.

“Pfft, that was only half of what I would have usually done.” He winked at her. “Don’t worry. I was careful after you told me you didn’t want this---”

“Like, ten times,” Eren huffed, but her amused eyes gave away that she couldn’t really be mad at him for this anymore.

“I mean, I didn’t even buy you a new phone, though your old one was crappy as fuck,” Levi answered truthfully, wrinkling his nose as if the mere thought about her mobile alone was an offense in itself.

Eren stared at him, half amused, half in disbelief.

“You broke into my fucking flat to get it back.”

“I was being polite in giving it back in person,” Levi corrected and stubbed out the long forgotten cigarette in a small hand-ashtray he magically pulled from his pocket. This man was really unbelievable. “You know, the honour of receiving this from myself and not one of my subordinates.”

“I’m really flattered,” Eren deadpanned.

“You should be,” Levi declared in an equal manner and turned to face her again. “And? Nothing else to say? I confess my undying love, and what do I get in return?”

His voice and face were neutral and expressionless like always; but nevertheless, his words send Eren’s stomach into a turmoil of feelings.

“It’s… fuck Levi, it’s complicated enough as it is now.” She ran a hand through her hair and let her gaze wander over the skyline of Trost again.

She felt her cheeks heat up. Shit, where was her usual confident self? Why was she feeling shy all of sudden about this?

“It’s not complicated. I said it before, don’t overthink it,” Levi answered in a gentle voice next to her.

He was looking down at the roofs of the city, which made it easier for Eren to gather her courage and come clear. Fuck, she was always the one to speak up honestly, so she would do that now too!

“How can I not overthink it?” she asked, finally able to look at his face again. “It threatens all what I stand for!”

This odd feeling of confusion and conflict bubbled up in her again, a feeling she honestly had never experienced until she met Levi. It all had been clear to her before; she always had knew what to do. Why not now?

Why where there so many damn mixed feelings?

“No Eren, seriously, stop thinking. I don’t ask for your life plans now. Just…” Levi paused, still thinking of the right words.

Shit, if Hanji was here, she’d surely know what to say. He would just try his best; he had no other chance either way.

He just hoped he wouldn’t make it any worse.

“What do you feel? For me? Right now, in this moment?”he asked.

Eren swallowed, her mouth suddenly feeling very dry. But she would not back down now, goddammit, Levi was right. Overthinking things never did Eren any good.

“I like you, Levi. I like you so much it scares me, to be honest,” she admitted quietly, relieved that now the cat was out of the bag. Briefly, she glanced over to him. “Don’t look at me with such a smug face, seriously. I said I _like_ you, not that I wouldn’t still punch you in the face.”

“You have an odd way of foreplay" Levi retorted, immediately receiving a punch on the shoulder from her.

“Ouch,” he deadpanned, not really affected by the light attack.

“You deserved that,” Eren muttered, but she couldn’t hold back the smile on her face for too long.

Levi could have easily lost himself in her shining eyes or her pink lips, but there was still a thing that needed to be clarified.

“See Eren. I like you and you like me; it’s really not that complicated. I don’t see why we can’t be together.” he decided to go the blunt way.

Eren opened her mouth and closed it again; his suggestion clearly took her by surprise.

“You seriously suggest _we_ of all people should _date_?” she asked disbelieving.

“Why the fuck not?” Levi shrugged his shoulders. “When a swan and a fucking pedal boat can find love and happiness in this world, why not we?”

Her eyebrows rose up and almost disappeared under her bangs.

“A _pedal boat_?” she asked incredulously.

Levi ignored her question in favour of not losing the golden thread in his speech. Finally he had found a way to confess to Eren; he would not lose track and let her go without answering his question first.

“See, you don’t have to promise me your eternal faithfulness or some shit like that,” he added quickly. “All I ask of you is to relax a bit, and enjoy the rare time we have now. You said you wanted to be an agent again after this, and I won’t hinder you from that, even if this’ll mean we have to break up at some point. Just see it as an…experience. What comes after our collaboration, nobody knows. So just enjoy what we have for now.”

Damn, he hoped his words had come across the right way. He had experienced it so often now that people didn’t get his way of thinking and his way of expressing these thoughts, and he had ruined an important chance more than once by his blunt speaking. But Eren had closed her mouth now, her brows furrowing like they always did when she was thinking hard about something, and Levi took this as a good sign.

“This is… this is some crazy suggestion,” she murmured slowly, still deep in her own thoughts.

His heart hammered hard against his ribcage, but like usual, Levi didn’t give away his feelings on his face.

Though, he had gotten the feeling that Eren understood what he was thinking always anyway.

After a few suspenseful moments, she finally focused her gaze back on him, a determined glint in her eyes.

Now. The moment of truth had come.

“Okay, it’s not that I’m known for my smart and rational decisions anyway. Let’s try it,” she said, and Levi swore he heard an inner squeal from Hanji in the back of his mind. “But, our arrangement is still valid. I will be an agent again, so don’t expect me to become some gangster moll.”

Levi slowly nodded. He could have exploded with happiness at her words, could have screamed into the night and thrown hundreds of thousand-euro-bills down the street just to celebrate that the woman he loved finally wanted to be his. Instead, Levi chose to give her one of his rare smiles, the closest thing to jumping around and fisting his hand in the air one could get from him.

“Fucking finally,” he sighed and wrapped his arms around Eren to pull her closer.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, bastard,” she answered without real malice. “I’m not going to turn into some soft and caring girlfriend all of sudden.”

To underpin her message, she pinched him in the ass before she stole a quick kiss.

“Wouldn’t want it any other way,” Levi hummed and dipped his head to nib at the thin skin of her throat. He felt that Eren wanted to retort something, but under the soft scratching of his teeth, she could manage nothing but a quiet moan. Levi smirked.

“Let’s get back to my bedroom,” he purred and let his hands wander down Eren’s lower back.

“Hm,” she let out an appreciative hum of agreement, “but you have to let go of me first.”

With inhuman strength, Levi managed to detach himself from Eren, though not before giving her a clouded look that made Eren’s panties go wet again. She wanted to turn around to finally get back to that damn bedroom already, but Levi tugged at her wrist once more. Before she could even blink, Levi had pulled her hand close and blew a feather light kiss on the back of it.

“ _Mon amie_ ,” he whispered against her skin and sent her an intense look with those silver-grey eyes.

Eren felt her heart sputter, guts twisting with warmth. The heat rose up her cheeks as she took his hand as well, brushing her lips against his.

“Sappy old man,” she murmured fondly.

“You little brat,” was Levi’s only response as he sent her a smirk and finally made his way to that damn door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eeh, kind of a short chapter, I know, but I needed to get at least SOMETHING out to keep writing.
> 
> Also, first of, thank you to my new beta vakashick for editing! 
> 
> Second, this is where I could use some help, before I develop a huge writer's block. I ran out of music to hear while writing, and so it became a lot harder for me to work on this fic. So if you have any recommendations of music - if you have any song you associate with this fic, be it music, lyrics or atmosphere - or if you just have a song you like to write fanfics to yourself, PLEASE let me know, I am desperate! And don't assume I'll know this song already, because I don't. I just know german (and a bit english) punkrock and oi-music. So you could literally send me the current pop chart-list, and it would be new for me. So yes, if a song comes to your mind now, feel free to shoot me a link or a name! 
> 
> Oh, and for those of you who are interested in that kind of music-writing stuff, the song that inspired me for the remaining plot of this fic is "Bones of a rabbit" from Young Heretics. I highly recommend it for writing fanfics, I just listened to it for about 2000 times now, I need new stuff.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you all for the feedback you've already given me, I'm a sucker for comments and it definitely fuels me to write more!  
> My tumblr is [punk-mikasa](http://punk-mikasa.tumblr.com/), in case anybody wants to talk to me there!


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